More than 13,000 Girl Scouts are gearing up for an unprecedented cookie season.

Cookie sales begin Friday, February 13, 2015.

With the addition of cookie sales online, organizers expect this year to be busy.

"Our online sales are a convenient addition to our traditional cookie booths and door-to-door sales. Our customers will now be able to order their favorite Thin Mints or Caramel deLites from the comfort of their own home, or they can depend on local Girl Scouts to sell cookies at their front door," said Nikki Habben, Chief Operating Officer at Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.

Girl Scouts aren't required to participate in the 100-year old cookie program, but more than 13,000 girls in the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois council have chosen to participate in the largest girl-led business in the world.

"Thousands of girls participate in this program because it really challenges them to learn skills they'll use the rest of their lives like goal setting and money management," said Habben.

Proceeds from each box are used to support local programs offered within the council.

To find your nearest box of Girl Scout cookies, go to www.GirlScoutCookies.org.

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Annual Lobsterfest results in $25,000 awarded to 15 not-for-profit projects

Bettendorf, IA - The Charitable Giving Board of Bettendorf Rotary Club announces the award of a total of $25,000 to 15 not-for-profit projects that serve the Quad City community.

This is the seventh year event proceeds from the annual Bettendorf Rotary Lobsterfest at Rivermont Collegiate create the fund for the Bettendorf Rotary Charitable Giving Board grants.

"We received 43 requests for an amount totaling $92,130 this cycle," said Jeff Hassel, Chair of the Charitable Giving Board. "The club was able to fund 15 requests totaling $25,000 or $27% of the total amount requested. We hope our next Lobsterfest on June 13th enables us to reach an even higher level of support for 2015."

Bettendorf Rotary also presents $7,000 in scholarships to graduates pursuing higher education. These awards are chosen by the participating educational institutions - Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley high schools, Rivermont Collegiate and Scott Community College.

Individual grants of as much as $2,500 are available to any qualified non-profit organization in the Quad Cities by October 1st of each year. Applications, with qualifications, may be completed online or downloaded at www.bettendorfrotary.com/rotarygrants. Grants are awarded by the Bettendorf Rotary's Charitable Giving Board with funds located at the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend.

The Bettendorf Rotary Club (www.bettendorfrotary.com), chartered on May 22, 1957, has more than 100 members fulfilling the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self" in a variety of local, regional and national community volunteer projects. The club meets each Wednesday at Noon. In addition to the website, you can find the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/bettendorfrotary).

Bettendorf Rotary Club is part of Rotary International (www.rotary.org), founded in 1905 by Paul Harris, a Chicago businessman and University of Iowa alumnus. The international organization, now based in Evanston, IL, has more than one million members participating in 32,000 clubs located in more than 200 countries.

The following are the 15 grants that the Bettendorf Rotary Charitable Giving Board selected and had approved by the Bettendorf Rotary Club's Executive Board for funding in 2014:

• Center for Active Seniors, Inc.

Project Title - Fitness Center Equipment

Project Description - CASI requested funds to replace 2 out dated treadmills in the Fit for Life Fitness Center

Amount funded - $1,250

• Davenport Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol

Project Title - Search and Rescue Mission Enhancement, Aerospace Education

Project Description - Funds will go toward purchase of an iPad mini for use in aircraft flight operations and a precision dash mount GPS that will connect to the iPad to provide precise aircraft position reference. These tools will greatly increase aircrew capability for search and rescue and aerial photography of critical local infrastructure such as dams and bridges. The remainder of the funds will be used for purchase of aerospace education materials for cadets ages 12 to 20. Projects include model rocketry, RC airplane supplies, and improving our flight simulation and training device (PC with multi-screens and aircraft control hardware)

Amount funded - $1,000

• Dress for Success Quad Cities

Project Title - Professional Shoes for Limited Resource QC Women

Project Description - Purchase approximately 80 pairs of professional shoes for limited-resource women who have an interview scheduled or a new job.

Amount funded - $2,000

• Friendly House

Project Title - Friendly House Family Nights

Project Description - Family Nights create opportunities for families to engage in activities and spend time together, creating a greater emotional bond and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Amount funded - $2,000

• Gilda's Club Quad Cities

Project Title - Cancer to Health

Project Description - Research proven program to reduce stress, strengthen immunity, develop a healthier diet and exercise and feel greater social support.

Amount funded - $1,750

• Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities

Project Title - New simple, decent, affordable home build for a low income working family

Project Description - This project will build a simple, decent, affordable home for a family in need in the Quad Cities to help eliminate poverty housing.

Amount funded - $1,000

• Handicapped Development Center

Project Title - Promoting Our Mission with a Positive Atmosphere

Project Description - To provide a positive atmosphere, promote our mission, and encourage hospitality, we want to paint some walls and purchase a monitor for the reception area.

Amount funded - $1,000

• Jason's Box

Project Title - Patriot Place Veterans Resource Center

Project Description - Patriot Place is a location for military to meet with mentors, explore education/training, complete on-line education, resumes, job search, obtain transition information, counseling, recreation, etc.

Amount funded - $2,500

• King's Harvest

Project Title - Homeless Overflow Shelter Payroll

Project Description - King's Harvest serves as an overflow shelter for the homeless men, women and children in the Quad Cities from December 1st until April 15th.

Amount funded - $2,500

• New Kingdom Trailriders

Project Title - Horse Care Project

Project Description - Funds were requested to continue our horse care project so that NKT can continue to offer therapeutic horseback riding for people with disabilities.

Amount funded - $2,000

• People Uniting Neighbors & Churches (PUNCH)

Project Title - Renters Neighborhood Winterization Project

Project Description - We provide interior winterization service to the Hilltop residential community when funds are available.

Amount funded - $1,000

• QC Unity

Project Title - The Pete the Purple Bull Program

Project Description - Pete the Purple Bull: on a mission to teach Humans (through example & interactive lessons), the social/emotional skills needed to rid the World of Bullying.

Amount funded - $1,000

• Quad City Marathon

Project Title - Run With Us

Project Description - Pay entry fee to micro-marathon for 150 disadvantaged/low-income children to enhance their health, well-being, and social skills.

Amount funded - $1,500

• Quad City Symphony Orchestra Association

Project Title - Music Education Outreach for Bettendorf

Project Description - The Quad City Symphony Orchestra will provide free music education outreach to elementary schools in the Bettendorf.

Amount funded - $2,000

• St. Mark Lutheran Church Food Pantry

Project Title - Food Pantry

Project Description - The St. Mark food pantry is an emergency resource for Davenport families and individuals who are food insecure.

Amount funded - $2,500

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.