Children love music, and it's proven to boost the learning process. A June 16 workshop by Kathleen Gibson offers ways to introduce it into their lives. "Music for the Growing Child" will be offered in one session only, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16 at the Deere-Wiman Carriage House in Moline.

Designed for educators, childcare providers and home school families, the workshop will include song sheets, ideas and techniques to create music for any occasion. Registration fee of $10 includes the two-hour workshop and pizza.

Teaching artist and Parents' Choice award winning singer/songwriter Kathleen Gibson offers ways to incorporate music into all aspects of learning, "even if you don't sing. Music helps us learn, gives us healthy ways to deal with our feelings and creates a harmonious sense of community when we share it," she says. "As children grow and develop, we can help them in so many ways by singing, listening to and moving music, and creating with music."

The workshop is presented by the William Butterworth Memorial Trust and Community Child Care Resource and Referral. For information and reservations, contact Pam Lynch at Community Child Care, 500 E. 59th Street, Davenport, IA 52807; phone (563) 324-3239, extension 1424; or Gretchen Frick Small, Butterworth Center, 1105 8th Street, Moline, IL 61265; phone (309) 743-2701.

A full schedule of activities has been announced for Blossoms at Butterworth, one of the Quad Cities' classic summer celebrations. Set for Sunday, June 28 at the Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House in Moline, the afternoon event offers traditional summer fun for all age groups in a nostalgic garden setting. And the price is right: With the exception of food concessions, all activities and entertainment are free.

This year, Blossoms also doubles as grand opening of the new Education Center at the Butterworth House. The former Butterworth Center Garage has been extensively renovated and now includes a welcome center with display area, small auditorium, kitchen facilities and large meeting room.

"We're really excited about the opportunities this offers to local people," says Gretchen Frick-Small. "This facility will be available for educational programs put on by non-profits, and we think they'll really appreciate the building's versatility. It's such a unique blend of historic significance and very functional meeting space."

During the Blossoms event, the new 1,200-square-foot facility will host the Brinton Art Show, featuring work of Moline junior high and high school students; "Houseboats on the Mississippi," a historic exhibit showcasing photos of and memorabilia from early houseboats owned by the Deere and Butterworth families; and premiere of a new video tracing the life of John Deere and history and mission of the two historic homes. Tours of the facility will also be available.

At the Butterworth Center, performances are planned by the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Youth Band (1 and 3 p.m.), Quad City Jugglers (2 and 4 p.m.) and organist Steve Steeley. WQPT Quad Cities will host a crafts tent for children and families, and free family photos will be taken at the gazebo, complete with characters in period clothing.

At the Deere-Wiman House, old-fashioned lawn games and a Victorian tea party are planned, as well as performances by pianist Selma Johnson. Niabi Zoo staffers will give presentations at 2 and 3 p.m., and members of the Antique Ford Club and Mississippi Valley Antique Automobile Club will host a display of antique cars.

Rounding out the schedule: Self-guided tours of both historic homes, guided bus tours of the Overlook Historic Neighborhood and food vendors (Lagomarcino's Ice Cream and Frank's Prime Cuts steak sandwiches).

Blossoms at Butterworth, Sunday, June 28, noon to 5 p.m. (rain or shine), Butterworth Center (1105 8th St., Moline) and Deere-Wiman House (817 8th St., Moline); no charge for admission. Event funded by the William Butterworth Memorial Trust. For more information, call (309) 743-2701; www.butterworthcenter.com.

Kids "Cited" for Practicing Good Safety Habits -- Law enforcement on the lookout for children wearing helmets

Local Wendy's Restaurants will offer 50 free bicycle helmets on Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to noon in conjunction with the I Got Caught! program. Area law enforcement officers will be on hand to help fit helmets and instruct children on bicycle safety habits. (See last page for list of participating Wendy's locations.)

In an effort to educate young Iowans, Iowa Health System, the state's largest health system, AAA Minnesota/Iowa, Wendy's Restaurants, and local law enforcement are partnering to encourage helmet usage through the I Got Caught! program. The mission of the program is to reward children, ages 2 to 13, for wearing helmets in an effort to prevent traumatic brain injuries on bicycles, skateboards, roller blades and scooters.

Participating law enforcement officials throughout Iowa have been instructed on injury prevention issues and are on the lookout for children demonstrating safe behaviors. Children "caught" in the act will receive a sticker, a coupon for a free Wendy's Frosty and a chance to win one of several bike giveaways.

Each year more than 800 bicyclists are killed and another 500,000 are injured in the United States. However, statistics have shown that, when used properly, helmets reduce the risk of a traumatic brain injury by as much as 88 percent.

"Wendy's is proud to be able to work with law enforcement, AAA Minnesota/Iowa, and the Iowa Health System to promote safe habits," said Franchisee, Jeff Ruppel. "The cost of a helmet is nothing compared to the possible cost of a child's life."

Bill Leaver, president and CEO of Iowa Health System, said he would prefer to have the health system help prevent injuries rather than treat them, and the I Got Caught! program is designed to do just that. "At Iowa Health System, we want to be sure to reach out and help children make smart decisions. We think this innovative program will help with that. At least that is our sincere hope."

Wendy's International, Inc. (NYSE: WEN) is one of the world's largest and most successful restaurant operating and franchising companies. More information about the Company is available at www.wendys-invest.com.

Initially formed in 1995, Iowa Health System includes 11 hospitals in Bettendorf, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fort Dodge, Sioux City, Waterloo, Iowa, and Moline and Rock Island, Ill., along with a group of 369 staffed physicians and 128 clinics in 71 communities in Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois. Iowa Health System is the first and largest integrated health care system in Iowa with revenues of almost $2 billion and more than 19,000 employees.  Its hospitals serve almost one in every three patients in Iowa. For more information visit, www.ihs.org.

AAA Minnesota/Iowa, which includes more than 778,000 members, offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services. It is part of The Auto Club Group (ACG), the largest affiliation of AAA clubs in the Midwest, with 4.1 million members in eight states. ACG clubs belong to the national AAA federation, a not-for-profit organization, with more than 51 million members in the United States and Canada. For more information visit, www.aaa.com.

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May 11, 2009 -Quad Cities/Iowa-Illinois - The Greater Quad Cities Area PRIDE Fest '09 celebrates Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender ("LGBT") Pride with a variety of events during June PRIDE Month and PRIDE Week, Sunday, June 21 - Sunday, June 28. The international theme for PRIDE this year is "Your Rights, Our Rights, Human Rights."  Says QC PRIDE co-chair, Rev. Rich Hendricks, "We've expanded on that theme locally by playing on the reality of change in Iowa and the possibilities for change in Illinois law --and with a reminder of last years' quite windy PRIDE day in coming up with a QC PRIDE '09 theme of 'Winds of Change.'"

Events will take place highlighting LGBT contributions to the community throughout the month of June. There will be LGBT displays at nearly all of the local public libraries, special art exhibits, history exhibits, informational forums, music and poetry exhibitions. The Pride Month Kickoff Event, "Touched by the Hand of God: Michelangelo's Models," celebrates on of history's most famous gay artists and will be held at the Figge Art Museum on June 2 with a special reception at 6:30 p.m. A Pride Guide will be published soon when event details and sponsors have been confirmed.

Sunday, June 21 begins PRIDE Week, with an Interfaith Picnic of Affirming Churches and their allies at LeClaire Park from 2 - 3:30 pm with a brief Worship Service 3:30 - 4 pm. Everyone is then invited to gather at 4 pm at LeClaire Park for Colors-Across-the-River for Equality (CARE) in support of equal rights for LGBT persons. This will involve displaying 1,000 rainbow pride flags and over 500 people lining the Centennial Bridge over the Mississippi River! Some are calling it "Rainbows Across the River," but whatever you call it, it will be a historic event! Persons will be able to participate for free and can keep their own Pride Flag for just $5. Participants are asked to sign up on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=52815401781

Gay comedian, Brian Bradley will be performing at Penguin's Comedy Club on Thursday, Friday and Saturday during PRIDE Week, and there will be a Freighthouse Pride Patio Party on Wednesday, June 24, followed by a dance at Club Fusion.

Culminating QC PRIDE Week will be the big festival on Saturday, June 27 at LeClaire Park on the Davenport riverfront.  The Saturday PrideFest will include live music, vendors, food and beverages.  Headlining the list of entertainers for the Bandshell will be Daphne Willis, Bumber Crop, Ronnie Niles and Funktastic Five. Last year nearly 900 people attended QC PrideFest '08, which featured 12 area nonprofit sponsors and numerous local business sponsors. "We had 45 vendors last year and plan to double that number this year, as well as to increase sponsorship by local businesses," says PRIDE Co-Chair, Jeff Simpson. Mary's on 2nd will host an "Over the Rainbow" Pride Party after the PrideFest.

Vendor booths of 10' X 10' are available for $50 ($60 if electricity is required) and include two free admissions. Admission to the Saturday PRIDE fest is $10 by advance ticket purchase or $15 at the gate. Contact Rich Hendricks at richdhendricks@msn.com

Tickets will be available mid-April from area nonprofits, key downtown Davenport merchants or on-line now at DavenportOne.com. A children's area with games and activities is also planned.

The lesbian rock group Halcyon will also be appearing at the Redstone Room in downtown Davenport on Sunday, June 28th to close out Pride Month activities.

QC PRIDE was started by Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities with support from many outstanding nonprofit organizations, who also benefit by raising funds at PrideFest and by getting their message out to the public, including: Quad Citians Affirming Diversity, AIDS Project Quad Cities, DeLaCerda House, OneIowa, Equality Illinois, Progressive Action for the Common Good, QC Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and the Davenport Civil Rights Commission.

PRIDE festivities throughout the United States commemorate three nights of civil unrest known as the Stonewall riots. These riots occurred in late June 1969 in response to official harassment by the New York Police Department and are considered the birth of the movement for equal rights and liberation for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Sponsored in part by Genesis Health System, Mary's on 2nd, Lujack's Northpark Auto Plaza, The Freighthouse, Redstone Room, Wells Fargo Bank, Augie's on 20th and more.

IOWA: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain

Your Rights, Our Rights, Human Rights