The Young Professionals Network of the Quad Cities and neXt Professionals have joined forces to host a "Rock the Vote" event on Friday, October 12, from 7 p.m. to midnight at John O'Donnell Stadium in Davenport. "Rock the Vote" is a nationwide movement that focuses on registering individuals to vote and getting them more informed about the elections. The Quad Cities event will features opportunities for people to register to vote, along with local bands such as Blue Fuzzy Monkey and Justin Morrissey & Friends.
The Quad Cities Comic Book Convention will be held on Saturday, September 22, at the Ramada Inn, 3020 Utica Ridge Road in Bettendorf. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission for the public is free. Dealers from three states specializing in comic books new and old, toys, and related collectibles will be on-hand to buy, sell, and trade. For further information, contact Alan at (309) 657-1599 or visit (http://www.epguides.com/comics).
The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) is sponsoring Active Aging Week from September 24 through October 1, and residents of Palmer Hills retirement community in Bettendorf have a full week of activities planned, many of which are open to the public. For more host locations of Active Aging Week or for more information on the ICAA, visit (http://www.icaa.cc). For more information on the week's events at Palmer Hills, call (563) 332-5955 or visit (http://www.palmerhills.com).
All God's Creatures Pet Fair & Expo will be held on Saturday, September 29, at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds beginning at 8:30 a.m. with a two-mile run/walk. The event continues until 5 p.m. Bring your well-behaved pet for a full day of activities. Register by visiting (http://www.churchesunited.net) or calling (309) 786-6494.
Fifth- and sixth-grade students at Rivermont Collegiate have been accepted into the National Association of Independent Schools' Challenge 20/20 competition. Rivermont scholars will partner with Troy A. Howard Middle School in Maine; Jesus Disciple Public High School in Pakistan; Colorado Academy in Denver; and Renaissance Education Foundation in Punjab to utilize cross-cultural problem-solving in pursuit of local solutions to global problems. Rivermont students will levy their brainpower against the threat of infectious disease and the potential collapse of global financial architecture. Presentations of solutions will take place on February 1, and winners will be announced shortly thereafter.
Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa, welcomed 113 new freshmen to its campus this year - the largest freshman class since 1999, and a 64-percent increase over the prior year. Overall, total enrollment reached 503, a 22-percent increase over the prior year. For more information, visit (http://www.ashford.edu).
Local clergy and other interested parties are invited to join Ekklesia, an ecumenical group devoted to study of the Greek New Testament that meets weekly at Augustana College. Led by Professor of Classics Emil Kramer, Ekklesia meets throughout the academic year at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in room 128 of Augustana's Old Main (3600 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). For more information, contact Kramer at (309) 794-7378 or (emilkramer@augustana.edu).
The Family Museum in Bettendorf has announced the arrival of the Mississippi River Valley Chapter of Embroiderers' Guild of America needlework exhibit Yesterday, Today, & Forever. The items created by knitters, spinners, weavers, and Belgian-lace-makers are on display in the Family Museum's Great Hall.
A collaboration by a retired Muscatine library director, his wife, and a retired music teacher has resulted in Muscatine! The Musical. Opening night will be Friday, October 12, with a total of seven shows through October 20. Information about the show can be found on the show's Web site, (http://www.muscatinethemusical.com).
Kenny Salwey will share tales and present his Emmy-winning natural-history film Mississippi: Tales of the Last River Rat at the Putnam Museum & IMAX Theatre on Wednesday, September 26. There will be three showings of the film: at 3, 5, and 7 p.m. Admission to the film will be $5, and tickets can be purchased at the theatre. Advanced tickets can be purchased by calling (563) 324-1933 or by visiting (http://www.putnam.org). After the 53-minute film, Salwey and guests will convene in the lobby for question-and-answer sessions and book-signings.
