Eat a delicious meal at Chili's located at 4020 East 53rd Davenport, IA between now and March 15, 2015 and help support QCSO music education programs.  Chili's will match 15% of your pre-tax bill and donate that amount to Volunteers for Symphony.  Simply present one of the attached coupons or say "Symphony" when you pay your bill.

The $760,000 fund-raising goal accounts for approximately 60 percent of the Quad Cities Salvation Army's operating budget. The funds will help The Salvation Army meet the demand for services for shelter, food, clothing and other basic human needs here in the Quad Cities.

"The Salvation Army's work is simply not possible without the people of this community who believe in what we do.  This final $20,000 is extremely important - this amount of money could provide for all the meals served to the children and their parents at the shelter. Or it could allow us to provide housing and casework to 20 homeless families for two months at the Family Service Center," said Major Gary Felton, Quad Cities Coordinator.

With just a few weeks left, The Salvation Army encourages the community to share what they can with people who have so little.

Mail checks to: The Salvation Army, 301 W. 6^th Street, Davenport, IA 52803

Credit card giving: 1-800-SAL-ARMY or www.salvationarmyqc.org.

If you are interested in learning more about The Salvation Army, its programs in the community and how you can help, please call Holly Nomura at 563-271-7933.

Quad Cities, USA - On Christmas Eve the bells at the Red Kettles finished ringing, but the goal has not yet been met. Currently, The Salvation Army in the Quad Cities has raised 86% of their goal with $655,000. Another $105,000 needs to be raised in order to meet the $760,000 goal. This goal is about 60% of the annual operating budget which helps provide homeless family shelter, transitional housing, a community meal program, rent and utility assistance, supplemental food boxes, nursing home visits, youth character building programs i.e. summer camps, and various other social services.

"This community's generosity has amazed me - the coins, dollars, checks and 3 gold coins have added up to $400,000!" said Major Gary Felton. "On Christmas Eve alone, the Red Kettles brought in $18,552 ... but we still need help! We encourage everyone to consider making their year-end donations to The Salvation Army to help make sure that we're able to continue offering various services to those hurting in our community."

The large Red Kettles will be inside the malls until January 5th and small Red Kettles are still standing on counters at the following stores throughout the Quad Cities: Hungry Hobo, Express Lane, Hy-Vee Gas Stations, Mother Hubbard Cupboards and Papa Johns.

For your gift to be tax-deductible in 2014, your envelopes need to be post-parked by December 31st. To make your year-end contributions today to help reach their goal you can mail your donations to 301 W. 6th Street, Davenport, IA 52803 or to give by credit card call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or go online to www.salvationarmyqc.org.

If you are interested in learning more about The Salvation Army, its programs in the community and how you can help, please call 563-271-7933.

MOLINE, IL -- WQPT, Quad Cities PBS will hold their 14th annual Champagne on the Rocks Gala on Friday, Jan. 30, in the Gold Room at Hotel Blackhawk.

The Presenting Sponsor for Champagne on the Rocks is The Singh Group/Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.

"We are delighted that Tony Singh and his organization continue to be such great supporters of WQPT," said WQPT General Manager Mary Pruess.

Champagne on the Rocks is WQPT's premiere fundraising event featuring dinner, live and silent auctions, musical entertainment and the chance to win a piece of jewelry valued at over $2,500.

"We have some surprises for our guests this year," said Bea Brasel, special events coordinator for the station. "Typically someone wins a diamond, but this year we are offering the winner a chance to pick from six extraordinary pieces of jewelry donated by Expressions Jewelry."

To view a complete list of auction items log on to wqpt.org. For further information, or make a reservation to attend Champagne on the Rocks, call (309) 764-2400 or log on to wqpt.org.

Sponsors for the event include : Gold Sponsor - The Singh Group/Merrill Lynch Wealth Management; Silver Sponsor - Hotel Blackhawk; Jewel Sponsor - Expressions Jewelers.

The Champagne on the Rocks Committee members are Darcey Boone, Amanda Motto, Kanu Priya, Aleeza Singh, Brooke Terronez and Amy Trimble.

WQPT is a public media service of Western Illinois University Quad Cities located in Moline, IL.

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