Funding included in Agriculture Appropriations bill, along with additional money for agriculture development in Iowa's First District

Washington, DC?Today, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) announced he has secured $875,000 to continue the New Era Rural Technology Program he established. This USDA grant program allows community colleges and advanced training facilities to train the next generation of agriculture-based energy professionals. The funds were included in the House-Senate conference agreement, which passed today in the House with a vote of 263 to 162.

"This funding for the New Era Program allows us to keep Iowa at the forefront of the bio-energy industry," Braley said. "As our economy shifts to a culture of renewable energy, it's crucial that we provide education for the emerging professionals in Iowa. I'm proud to have introduced, passed into law and funded legislation that does just that."

Braley also announced funding for the National Education Center for Agriculture Safety in Peosta, the National Ag Based Lubricants Center (NABL) at University of Northern Iowa and for UNI's Tallgrass Prairie Center to research floodplain restoration.

The $170,000 for the National Center for Agriculture Safety will provide interactive health and safety education to Iowa farmers, volunteer firefighters, EMS providers and agricultural businesses. The program will also provide youth safety training to over 300 young people in the First District.

The $405,000 for the UNI-NABL will fund research and testing of bio-renewable lubricants and greases. The goal is to create commercial, bio-based lubricant products which are bio-degradable and more environmentally friendly than petroleum based products.

The $134,000 for UNI's Blackhawk County's Tallgrass Prairie Center will fund a study of wetland communities to determine which species best aid in floodplain recovery. This will provide direct impact on restoration of wetlands in Eastern Iowa and across the country.

The Agriculture Appropriations bill conference agreement now must be approved by the Senate before moving to President Obama for his signature.

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Decadent event celebrating all things chocolate to benefit Galena-Jo Daviess Historical Society

GALENA, Ill. - Two lavish chocolate buffets paired with a glass of bubbly and topped with live music will have some folks asking themselves "is this heaven?" No, it's the Spirits of the Galena History Museum's annual "Chocolate, Champagne and Candlelight" event on Saturday, November 7, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the DeSoto House Hotel, 230 S. Main St., in historic downtown Galena. The doors will open at 6, the buffet will start at 6:30, and arriving before 7:30 is recommended.

All-you-can-eat is the order of the evening with a seemingly infinite selection of sweets in an elegant Victorian setting. A number of non-chocolate desserts will also be on hand for those wishing to cleanse their palate. One free beverage ticket is included in the ticket price; a cash bar is also available.

Featured baker this year is Patricia Lehnhardt, published author of cookbooks and food/garden articles, who will present "Chocolate Around the World." Featured vendor is Gustafson & Grey, Ltd. of Galena who will be showcasing champagne diamonds. A portion of the sales will be donated to the historical society. A silent auction of unique Galena items donated by generous local businesspeople will round out the evening.

Admission is $14 per person and includes a glass of champagne. Advance ticket purchase is recommended, as seating is limited and the event often sells out. A number of area lodging properties offer chocolate packages; check with your favorite hotel or B&B for an enticing array of options. Tickets are available in advance at both the DeSoto House Hotel and the Galena History Museum at 211 S. Bench St. They also may be purchased with a credit card by calling the museum at 815-777-9129, and, if available, they will be sold at the door.

For more information, please call the museum or visit galenahistorymuseum.org. For visitor information, please contact the Galena/Jo Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 877-464-2536 or visit galena.org. While in town, visit the CVB's Old Train Depot Visitor Information Center at 101 Bouthillier St. for on-site assistance and countywide information.

Des Moines, IA - Leading food security advocates from throughout the US and Canada will meet to discuss strategies for taking advantage of the current surge in interest among policymakers and the public for healthy and local foods. The role of health care reform in driving change in the food system is just one example of a topic to be discussed at the conference.

"Sodexo is pleased to continue its sponsorship of the Community Food Security Coalition's annual conference," said Arlin Wasserman, Sodexo's vice president for sustainability & corporate social responsibility. "We are committed to fostering a more sustainable food system and this conference is an important source of dialogue on how to promote healthy and sustainable food choices."

In addition to the numerous panels and workshops, the conference seeks to "walk the talk" by minimizing food waste and serving Iowa-grown or raised products. Organizers see celebration of the gift of food?an expression of relationships between people, land, and animals - as an important element of food security.

"Obesity costs our country $147 billion per year ," said Andy Fisher, executive director of the Community Food Security Coalition. "Increasing access to healthy affordable food is an important strategy to reducing obesity and its costs to the nation. CFSC sponsors annual conferences as a tool for sharing information among community leaders who helping to build healthy farms, communities, landscapes and individuals."

Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com) is a leading integrated facilities management services company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with $7.7 billion (USD) in annual revenue and 120,000 employees. Sodexo serves more than ten million customers daily in corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, government, and remote sites. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., is a member of Sodexo Group, and funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $11 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.

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In addition to a plaque, we will receive $1,000 to use for next year's Join Hands Day project.

Join Hands Day project in Quad Cities receives national recognition

Local group receives $1,000 for making "Jared Boxes"

A group of volunteers in the Quad Cities was recognized by the National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) for its exceptional volunteer project on May 2, 2009 - Join Hands Day. This was one of only 10 projects nationwide honored as Excellence Award winners.

The 10 awardees were selected from hundreds of volunteer projects that emphasized youth and adult partnerships on Join Hands Day. Each award-winning project will receive $1,000 and a plaque. The award money will be saved to use as seed money for a Join Hands Day 2010 project in the Quad Cities.

At Modern Woodmen Park, Modern Woodmen members were joined by Quad Cities River Bandits, Genesis Health System, Scott County DAV/Auxiliary, Cub Scouts, 4-H, Girl Scouts, St. Paul the Apostle School. More than 151 youth and 209 adults made 425 Jared Boxes, shoebox-sized containers filled with toys, games and crafts for children who find themselves in hospitals, bereavement and trauma support.

A panel of independent judges selected this year's top projects. The judges selected the winners based on the project's uniqueness, its youth involvement, recruitment, publicity and the value of the project to people and the community.

Sponsored by Modern Woodmen and America's fraternal benefit societies, Join Hands Day is designed to bring youth and adults together to plan and implement volunteer service projects in their communities. As the generations work side by side, they learn more about each other, sparking a new level of understanding and respect.

"In its 10 years JOIN HANDS DAY has really come into its own. Communities are developing this year's event based on previous projects to further enhance the community and relationships begun a year ago," said Joseph J. Annotti, NFCA President and CEO.

Since its conception in 1999, JOIN HANDS DAY has awarded 100 Excellence Awards. This is the final year for this award program.

About the NFCA

The 123-year-old NFCA unites 65 not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.  The association represents 9.3 million fraternalists in 37,000 local chapters, making it one of America's largest member-volunteer networks.  Fraternal benefit societies provide their members with leadership, social, educational, spiritual, patriotic, scholarship, financial and volunteer-service opportunities.  Combined, the NFCA's member-societies maintain more than $353 billion of life insurance-in-force and, in 2008 alone, contributed almost $424 million to charitable and fraternal programs, and volunteered nearly 94 million hours for community-service projects.  These statistics demonstrate the commitment that fraternals make to those in need and exemplify the true meaning of the NFCA signature phrase:  Joining Hands to Touch Lives.  For more information, visit the NFCA's Web site at www.nfcanet.org.