In celebration of its 125th anniversary, Modern Woodmen will partner with Habitat for Humanity-Quad Cities to build a home in the Habitat Park area of Rock Island. Modern Woodmen will provide the funding as well as volunteers to help build the 52nd Habitat house in the Quad Cities. Groundbreaking is tentatively slated for late summer, and the home is scheduled to be dedicated on the organization's 125th anniversary: January 5, 2008. Founded in 1883 as a fraternal benefit society, Modern Woodmen offers financial services and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States. This house will be the 15th home to be built in the city of Rock Island since Habitat for Humanity-Quad Cities was founded in 1993.
The District of Rock Island has recruited the production company Nvents to produce the District's outdoor festivals for 2007. With a management team that includes Lon Bozarth - former president and CEO of the River Music Experience - Nvents has more than 25 years' experience in venue management, event production, entertainment booking, and marketing. "We were able to hire a professional company, not just one individual, while staying in budget," said Resaissance Rock Island President Mike Thoms. "We are excited about the possibilities this relationship will bring." Among the changes for 2007 are the elimination of the Hornicopia festival, and the reduction of annual Gallery Hops from four to two. The District's 2007 schedule will still include the Quad Cities Criterium (May 28), Gumbo Ya Ya (June 8-9), Ya Maka My Weekend (August 17-18), and the Rock Island Grand Prix (September 1-2). For information on forthcoming events, visit (http://www.ridistrict.com). - Mike Schulz
The Coalition for Domestic Peace will hold the Second Annual Community Unity March & Rally on Sunday, April 29. The march begins at 3 p.m. at Fifth Street and Seventh Avenue in Rock Island, and proceeds to Franklin Field, 12th Avenue and Ninth Street, to begin the rally. Two national experts, James Martin and Warren Edwards, members of 100 Men Standing For Domestic Peace in Minneapolis, have been invited to speak. A reception has been planned for 5 p.m. Saturday at United Neighbors, 808 North Harrison in Davenport, for Martin and Edwards to introduce themselves, their philosophy, and their program to the Quad Cities community. For more information, call Shellie Moore Guy at (563) 650-0354 or Mike Collier at (309) 631-3424.
Hy-Vee has announced that customers in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota have raised $37,154 through a special promotion to help wounded service members from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom rebuild their lives. Leaders from Hy-Vee presented the funds to representatives from the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping recently injured troops and their families. For more information, visit (http://www.saluteheroes.org).
Over the next month, the Augustana Research Foundation will be conducting a survey on behalf of the Rock Island/Milan School District #41. All residents of the Rock Island/Milan area are encouraged to fill out the survey so that the community's voice can be heard. The survey is available on line at (http://www.augustana.edu/users/pscorts/risd.htm). A paper copy of the survey is available to individuals via mail by calling (309) 794-8933 and leaving a name, address, and phone number. For more information, contact Dr. Daniel P. Corts at (RISDsurvey@yahoo.com).
The Butterworth Center will be offering an 1830s day-camp program for ages 10 to 12 from July 16 to 20. The cost for the camp is $75 per child, which includes lunch, refreshments, and all activities. For more information, call (309) 765-7971 or e-mail (gsmall@butterworthcenter.com), or visit (http://www.butterworthcenter.com/Camp.html).
The Rock Island Housing Authority will be hosting Don Udell beginning May 30 for four three-day workshops on grant writing and foundation development. For more information, contact Mary Czerwinski at (309) 788-0825 extension 205.
Due to the unseasonably cold weather this spring, the Humane Society of Scott County's Plant Sale has been canceled. Many plants that would have been donated to the event did not survive the cold weather. However, the Scott County Princesses will still visit the Humane Society on April 28 at 11 a.m. to pose with pets and play with the shelter animals. Pet owners should bring their own cameras. For more information call (563) 388-6655.
Quad City Elder Care Network partners have opened the organization's new office at 2535 Tech Drive, Suite 101, in Bettendorf. The Quad City Elder Care Network is a partnership of more than 25 local businesses and senior-citizen service providers committed to increasing awareness about how elder care impacts the workplace and offering solutions for these impacts through education, information, and referral services. For more information, consult the group's Web site at (http://www.qceldercare.com). Pat Bierman, the organization's coordinator, will maintain office hours from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. She can be reached at (563) 359-0093 or (info@qceldercare.com).
The Davenport Public Library has announced MyLibraryDV, an "on-demand" video service designed exclusively for public libraries. This service allows you to access and download hundreds of hours of DVD-quality programming on your computer. Initially, more than 400 programs will be offered, covering a wide variety of topics, such as travel, health, food, and how-to, as well as classic Hollywood movies and independent films. For more information, contact the reference department at (563) 326-7844. To access MyLibraryDV, visit (http://www.davenportlibrary.com); the link is on the left-hand side of the page under the subheading "Downloadable Music, Audio, Video, & eBooks."
Illinois State Representative Pat Verschoore (D-Milan) has announced the release of state infrastructure grants for Black Hawk College, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Rock Island, and the Rock Island County Board. A $75,000 grant for Rock Island County Board will help with all costs associated with the acquisition of land to build a new county nursing home and additional safety repairs to the railroad tracks at Niabi Zoo. The $35,000 grant for Black Hawk College will enable the college to build a new science laboratory for students at its Moline campus. The Martin Luther King Jr. Center will receive $20,000 for the replacement of its main-entrance doors.
