Rebuilding Together Quad Cities began work Monday, November 13, on phase one of "Project Neighborhood Impact," which will repair a number of homes in the Douglas Park area of Rock Island. Funded with a $43,500 grant from the Doris & Victor Day Foundation, "Project Neighborhood Impact" also involves a public/private partnership between Rebuilding Together Quad Cities and the City of Rock Island's Planning & Redevelopment Division. The two-phase project will renovate two homes this fall, and up to three more homes in spring 2007. The inaugural program targets the neighborhood bordering "Habitat Park" in the Douglas Park neighborhood of Rock Island. The project is also part of the new Old Chicago Plan. Rebuilding Together annually repairs more than 50 homes locally. Homeowners living in the targeted area who wish to be considered for the second phase of the program should contact Rebuilding Together at (563) 322-6534. Applications are also available online at (http://www.rebuildingtogetherquadcities.org).
Many Quad Citians attended the annual Labor Day Pow-Wows held at Black Hawk Park in Rock Island between 1940 and 1984. In an effort to chronicle the history of this longstanding event and its impact on the community, St. Ambrose students currently enrolled in a Native American history course are creating a video for the Hauberg Indian Museum of what is now known as the Black Hawk State Historic Site. The students hope to have the video completed by mid-December. Anyone who attended the pow-wows or who has memorabilia or photos is encouraged to contact Art Pitz at (309) 736-0840 or (artpitz@hotmail.com).
A new 4-H Cloverbud Club will be starting at the Silvis Public Library on Tuesday, November 21. The first meeting will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The 4-H Cloverbud program is open to youth ages five to seven as of September 1, 2006. At each monthly meeting, Cloverbuds will get the chance to make crafts, play games, make snacks, and meet new friends. A 4-H leader is needed for the Silvis club. University of Illinois Extension provides leaders with training and support including program ideas, materials, and resources. If you are interested in a leadership position, if you have questions regarding the new Silvis Club, or if you'd like to reserve a spot at the first meeting, contact Jen Holdorf at (309) 796-0512. Registration is not required but appreciated.
Ballet Quad Cities received a grant from the Amy Helpinstell Foundation for an outreach program for kindergarten through 12th-grade students and their teachers. The "Dance for Life!" program will provide a creative alternative to competitive sports activities, provide information on sound nutrition, and promote positive self-esteem. For more information, visit (http://www.balletquadcities.com).
WQPT, the Quad Cities PBS station, is beginning a new on-air/online auction. The new auction has a slightly different look, with a preview of items on-air on WQPT while the bidding is done online. Items up for auction include an autographed baseball from St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and an autographed Abu Garcia granite fishing rod signed by the late fishing champion Virgil Ward. There's also an autographed photo of Cal Ripken Jr. from his last at-bat; an overnight trip to Des Moines to see the Iowa Cubs; a Clifford poster autographed by author Norman Bridwell; a variety of music and video offerings; self-help books; Disney lithographs; and more. To find out more, tune in to Life & Times Thursdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. to catch a sneak peek of the items up for auction. Select items will close each night at 8 p.m. beginning December 4 and ending December 7 . Donations to the April 2007 auction can be made by contacting Lora Adams at (309) 796-5029 or by logging on to (http://www.wqpt.org) and entering the auction site. WQPT is a broadcast service of Black Hawk College in Moline.
The Fairmount Fireside Knitting Club will allow participants to learn how to knit while helping local charities. The club meets at the Davenport Public Library Fairmount Street location Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. The Fairmount Fireside Knitting Club is an all-ages group that meets weekly to complete knitting projects to be donated to local charities. Yarn, needles, and knitting instructors are available for each meeting. Donations of supplies are always welcome. No registration is required. Call (563) 326-7832 for more information.
The Alzheimer's Association, in partnership with Isabel Bloom L.L.C., is offering a limited-edition sculpture, the Forget-Me-Not Heart. Only 1,100 of these four-inch-tall sculptured hearts were produced, with proceeds from this color-finished design benefiting the Alzheimer's Association's programs and services. This sculpture will not be sold in this exclusive finish by Isabel Bloom retail stores, and will only be available through the Alzheimer's Association Greater Iowa Chapter. Sculptures are $19 each, and available now. To see the Forget-Me-Not Heart, go to (http://www.alz.org/greateriowa). For an order form, call the Alzheimer's Association at (800) 272-3900.
