The City of Rock Island now offers customers the opportunity to pay bills online at the city's Web site (http://www.rigov.org). Payments can be made by Visa, MasterCard, or electronic check. No service fees are charged to customers. To get started, customers will need to have a utility bill handy, as a city account number and telephone number are needed to create an online account. Billing history, meter-reading history, usage history, service information, balance history, and water and sewer rates are also available through the service. For more information, contact the City of Rock Island customer service at (309) 732-2000 or (eRock@rigov.org). Customer-service hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Four Quad Cities mayors have declared May 11 through 17 Salvation Army Week. Salvation Army Week is a nationwide observance, first declared by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954, as a time to honor the organization's work on behalf of the poor.
Black Hawk College in partnership with the Quad Cities Kidney Center is offering a new Dialysis Technician Career Training Program beginning June 2. Recent changes at the federal level require dialysis technicians to pass a national certification test after one year working in the field. In just 14 weeks, students will gain the knowledge and skills needed for entry-level employment in a hemodialysis clinic. The registration deadline is Wednesday, May 28. For more information, contact Pam Davies, program coordinator at Black Hawk College, at (309) 796-4825. To register, call (309) 796-4823.
This summer, St. Ambrose University is offering seventh- and eighth-grade students the opportunity to explore health-care careers in a day-camp format. Health Careers Adventure Camp, June 23 through 27, will allow students to experience the challenges, opportunities, and rewards of health professions through hands-on learning sessions provided by faculty and practicing clinicians. To register or for more information, contact the St. Ambrose Occupational Therapy Department at (563) 333-6277 or (UrishChristineK@sau.edu), or visit (http://www.sau.edu/healthcamp).
Community Care Incorporated, which serves people with mental illness and developmental disabilities, is hosting an open house for the public on Thursday, May 15, beginning at 8:30 a.m. with registration, coffee, and pastries at the organization's DeWitt administrative center, 108 East Industrial Street. The event will include a brief overview of the organization's services and tours of the Charlotte residential-care facility, the intermediate-care-facility homes in DeWitt, and vocational programs.
U.S. Senator Tom Harkin has announced that Iowa college students can now apply for fall internships in his Washington, DC, and Iowa offices. An internship in Harkin's office is an opportunity for education about the federal legislative process. Interns assist the senator's staff in the areas of legislation, press, and communications. The internship program is specifically designed for college undergraduates. The deadline for fall internship applications is July 25. Students who are interested can apply at (http://harkin.senate.gov/service/intern.cfm). Questions can be directed to (202) 224-3254.
The week of May 12 through 16 is National AmeriCorps Week. In honor of this celebration, AmeriCorps members from across the country will be taking part in different service projects in their respective communities. A group of Quad Cities AmeriCorps members will be collecting unwanted and discarded objects left behind by students at St. Ambrose University. Many of these objects will be set aside for incoming international students at the school, and the rest will be donated to the Sisters of Humility, who will distribute them to needy families in the Quad Cities. All St. Ambrose students are encouraged to drop off unwanted items at the designated area in each residence hall. Call the Big Brothers Big Sisters office at (563) 323-8006 for more information.
On Saturday, May 17, the German American Heritage Center in cooperation with the Mississippi River Ramblers will host 5K (3.1-mile) and 10K (6.2-mile) noncompetitive walks starting at the German American Heritage Center, 712 West Second Street in downtown Davenport. Walkers may begin their map-guided walk anytime between 8 a.m. and noon. The walk is free. For information, contact the German American Heritage Center at (563) 322-8844 or (director@gahc.org).
