Answering Firefighters prayers one Bigwig at a time!

Davenport, Iowa - December 14, 2009 - Eli Voss, an engineer with the Davenport, Iowa, Fire Department and owner of Bigwig Rescue Products, LLC has invented an innovated search and rescue tool that provides firefighters all over the world with a safer, faster and more organized way to search for victims in structural fires.

The driving force behind the invention of the Bigwig Tool was developed during search and rescue training, when Eli noticed that there was a consistent problem that firefighters were facing while they were trying to perform the basics of search and rescue.

"The Bigwig Tool is very simple and effect," said Chief Howard, Assistant Chief of Training with the Davenport Fire Department.  Chief Luckritz, retired chief of the Clinton, Iowa, Fire Department, considers the Bigwig Tool to be very practical for the fire service and also said "the Bigwig Tool is simple to use and is very durable. It will be an exciting new product for the fire service."

Eli Voss is a professional Firefighter/Engineer and has been with the Davenport Fire Department for seven years. He is currently assigned to Engine 3 and is a Field Staff Instructor with the State of Iowa's Fire Service Training Bureau.

GLENDALE, Calif. - December 14, 2009 - IHOP, one of America's favorite restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner, has announced plans to serve millions of free pancakes again next year in celebration of National Pancake Day on Tuesday, February 23, 2010.  Planned as a celebration of friends, family and community, IHOP hopes the program will raise $1.75 million for Children's Miracle Network, an international non-profit organization that raises funds for children's hospitals, and other worthy local causes.

2010 will mark IHOP's fifth year celebrating the national event and the company has set an ambitious goal to raise a cumulative $5 million for charity in the first five years of its free flapjack philanthropic effort.  More than 1,400 IHOP restaurants throughout the United States will once again invite guests to enjoy a free short stack of IHOP's signature buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on National Pancake Day.  In return, IHOP guests are asked to donate what they would have paid for the free pancakes, or more, to the Children's Miracle Network hospital in their community, or another designated local cause.

"We are flipping for 'five in five' with our 2010 National Pancake Day campaign, and with our guests' generous support, plan to reach our goal of $5 million in five years," said Carolyn O'Keefe, IHOP's senior vice president, marketing. "IHOP's franchisees and guests have raised more than $3.25 million to support Children's Miracle Network and other local charities since we started our National Pancake Day in 2006.  The day has become a tradition for families and friends who wish to enjoy great food and great service while helping out a great cause."

Children's Miracle Network "Miracle Balloons" will be sold for $1 and $5 each and will be personalized and displayed at participating IHOP restaurants from February 1 through February 23, 2010.  Miracle Balloon sales offer guests another way to show their support of Children's Miracle Network and contribute to the National Pancake Day fundraising effort.

Official University of Iowa FedEx Orange Bowl packages are still available and a limited number of travel packages from Des Moines to Miami are also available.

Hawkeye alumni and fans still have the opportunity to travel on the official University of Iowa FedEx Orange Bowl Tour.  Packages from Des Moines, IA to Miami, FL are limited and running out fast.  Be part of the excitement by booking your spot to see Iowa play Georgia Tech in the FedEx Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida on January 5, 2010.

"We are excited with the support we have received from Iowa fans," said Vince Nelson, President, of the University of Iowa Alumni Association. "Travel packages departing from Cedar Rapids have already sold out and the travel package departing from Des Moines only has a limited number of seats available."
Deluxe air travel packages are limited and include round-trip charter air service from Des Moines airport departing Sunday, January 3, 2010 and returning Wednesday, January 6th.  Hotel accommodations at either the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Intercontinental Miami Hotel, EPIC Miami Hotel or similar as well as a ticket to the game, admission to the welcome reception at the hotel and UI Alumni Association pre-game tailgate tickets can be added to this package.  There will also be police escorted motorcoach transfers to the pre-game, bowl game, and return trip. Land-only and game-only packages are also available. All packages are subject to availability at the time of booking.

To learn more about the official University of Iowa FedEx Orange Bowl Tour and to reserve packages, visit www.HawkeyeSportsTravel.com or call 1-800-553-5527.

Thanks to strong community support, Operation Support Our Troops a big success in both cities

Thanks to strong community support in both cities, the Knoxville and Galesburg First Bank offices collected a total of 51 boxes of packaged food and other items as part of the "Illinois Has Not Forgotten" collection drive for Operation Support Our Troops - Illinois, Inc. (OSOT-IL).

First Bank's Knoxville branch collected 31 boxes and raised nearly $1,000 for the troops while the Galesburg offices collected 20 boxes.

More than 272 boxes of food and other items (totaling four tons) were collected from the 61 First Bank locations that served as collection drop off points. In addition, 196 Operation Support Our Troops T-shirts were sold as well as $1,487 in cash donations.

First Bank firstbanks.com helped successfully launch the "Illinois Has Not Forgotten" collection drive for OSOT-IL in early November at the bank's 20 N. Clark St. office in downtown Chicago.

Since its founding in 2003, OSOT-IL has sent out over 25,000 care packages to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and has raised enough money to fund the purchase of two specially equipped vans for wounded soldiers.  They also support Fisher House, which is to Veteran Hospitals what Ronald McDonald House is to Children's Hospitals.  For more information about OSOTIL, go to their website at: www.osotil.org.

First Bank is one of the largest privately owned banks in the country with more than $10.3 billion in assets and 209 locations in Illinois, Missouri, California, Florida and Texas.

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