Twelve Quad Cities-area artists have been selected by a jury to create works for an exhibition and auction in conjunction with a major show at the Figge Art Museum. The artists will donate the 12 pieces to benefit the Figge, where the local artworks will be displayed from the week before a fundraising gala until May 27, or whenever the winning bidders choose to take possession of the artworks. The selected artists were Emily Christenson, Catherine Jones Davies, Diane Dexter-Wall, Sara Jane Fellin, Kristin Garnant, Ulrike Goerlich, David Heffner, Heidi Hernandez, Nancy Lindsay, Jim Riesberg, Bruce Walters, and Peter Xiao. The museum will present its fundraising gala "Under the Big Sky" on March 24, when guests can see the major exhibition of Deborah Butterfield's horse sculptures as well as the Follow the Horses show of locally created works. To make reservations for the gala, contact special-events coordinator Mary Davidson at (563) 326-7804 extension 2046. Admission is $125 per person, which includes heavy hors d'oeuvres, live music, wine, and cocktails.
As part of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, the Child Abuse Council is holding its Fourth Annual "Child Abuse Council Auction & Dance: A Night at the Velour Lounge" benefit on Friday, April 27, at the Stoney Creek Inn, 101 18th Street in Moline. This year's event sponsor is the Riverboat Development Authority. The night begins at 6:30 p.m. featuring heavy hors d'oeuvres, a 50/50 drawing, and live-auction items such as entertainment and vacation packages, art objects, kids' packages, and jewelry. All proceeds will benefit the Child Abuse Council's prevention, awareness, and treatment programs and will be used to serve the Quad Cities community. For additional information, contact the Child Abuse Council at (309) 764-7017 extension 0, or visit (http://www.childabuseqc.org) to register for the event.
The Family Museum of Arts & Science in Bettendorf will host the Lions International Peace Poster Exhibit from March 1 through April 23. The exhibit is composed of the grand-prize winner and 23 merit-award winners of the Lions International Peace Poster Contest, an annual contest held by Lions clubs around the world to encourage children 11, 12, and 13 years of age to visually express their feelings of peace. Approximately 375,000 entries from 100 countries are submitted worldwide in the Lions International Peace Poster Contest each year. View finalist peace posters at the Family Museum or online at (http://www.lionsclubs.org).
A March 15 performance of Catfish Moon at Playcrafters Barn Theatre will benefit Churches United. The comedy by Laddy Sartin concerns three lifelong friends who struggle to salvage a childhood fishing pier and their relationships while dealing with middle age and old feuds. Tickets are $12 for adults and $3 for children ages five to 18. Tickets can be purchased by sending a check or money order to Churches United, 630 9th St., Rock Island IL 61201. Tickets can also be reserved by calling (309) 786-6494. Complimentary refreshments will be served during intermission. Silent-auction items will be available for bidding before the show, during intermission, and after the show.
The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has released a request for proposals for local administering agencies to help run the nation's largest rental assistance program. Illinois' Rental Housing Support Program will help around 4,000 families afford their rents starting in early 2008. Local housing authorities, municipalities, and not-for-profit community groups have until 5 p.m. on December 1 to apply to become a local administering agency. IHDA will conduct a series of trainings across the state for groups interested in applying to become administrative agencies through this process. Training schedules and locations, application forms, and a program guide are available at (http://www.ihda.org) or by calling Program Manager April Lasker at (312) 836-5357. A list of selected local administering agencies will be released early next year.
The Genesis Stroke Prevention & Recovery Center (SPARC) and The Quad-Cities Brain Injury Support Group will host a trivia night on Saturday, April 21, at the Knights of Columbus, 1111 West 35th Street in Davenport. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the competition starting at 7 p.m. The event was previously scheduled for February 24. Everyone who was signed up for February 24 should contact Jan Barker at (563) 332-7028 or (KBB32874@aol.com) to reconfirm a reservation. The cost is $10 per person, and there is a maximum of eight players per team.
Experience Works, the nation's largest training and employment organization for mature workers, is searching for Iowa's outstanding older worker. The Experience Works Prime Time Awards program is part of Experience Works' national effort to raise awareness of the contributions made by older individuals and to break down barriers associated with the hiring of older workers. Nominees or applicants must be 65 years of age or older, a resident of Iowa, currently employed, and working at least 20 hours each week for pay. An online nomination form or a printed nomination form can be accessed at (http://www.experienceworks.org). The deadline for nominations is May 1.
