A huge two-day auction will be held on Oct 27 & 28 that will benefit Camp Courageous, thanks to the generosity of Virgil Crofter of Mt. Vernon. Over the years Vergil Crofter collected some unique item, and upon his death, his personal processions have gone to Camp Courageous, a year round camp for those with special needs, run on donations.  Here are some of the details of both days:

Day 1 Antiques & Collectibles. Wide variety of items!
Sat. Oct 27 @ 10 AM. Cady Auction Gallery, 833 Shaver Rd. NE Cedar Rapids, IA
Preview Fri. 10/26, 12 noon - 4 PM & 8:30 morning of auction.

Cady Auction will be selling the estate of Virgil Crofter. Virgil requested that proceeds go to Camp Courageous. Virgil was an avid collector of celebrity apparel plus autographed photos & books, including Marlyn Monroe, Liz Taylor, Willie Nelson, Cher, Eva Gabor, etc. Also being sold will be a 1987 5th Ave with 64K one owner orig mis, excellent condition.

Over 100 pieces of Royal Haeger plus other pottery will be auctioned.

Featured item: Just in time for Halloween! 1880?s Odd Fellow's ceremonial authentic human skeleton & coffin!

4 Asian black lacquer room divider / dressing screens, 2 matching 4 ft. hand-carved marble pedestals,  antique furniture including walnut hall tree and 2 Etageres are just some of the items.

General store items: Stand alone weight / fortune telling machines + 1 cent Shooting gallery & test your strength machines.Coin counters. Floor candy cabinet. 3 National cash registers.

Beaver top hats in orig case. Victorian umbrellas (silver, mop, gold) & bakelite umbrellas. Philco radio / phonograph. Antique prints & engravings. Original movie posters: 1983 return of the Jedi & 1978 The Lord of the Rings. Handmade museum quality model ship Kate Cory & whaler.

Plus: 1987 Bayliner Capri boat w/ 85 Yamaha 1990 motor (lower unit rebuilt June 2012) with galvanized trailor w/ new tires & axle.

Complete catalog with sale order, descriptions & 1000?s of photos and Live Internet bidding via Proxibid.com available 1 week prior to auction. Absentee and phone bids accepted. Go to www.cadyauction.com for more information. or call 319 364 4143

AUCTION DAY TWO:

Auction to be held in Cady Auction Gallery warehouse
Sunday, Oct 28 @ 12 Noon. Doors open at 11 AM.

This will include the rest of Virgil Crofter's estate, proceeds going to Camp Courageous. Auction will be held in our warehouse: NO catalog, NO Internet bidding, NO absentee bids, NO buyer's premium.

Furniture, household items, 50+ diecast cars in orig boxes, 100?s of vintage albums, console stereos, big screen TV, glassware, lamps, bookcases, vintage & antique office equipment, tools, lawn mower, race car t-shirts, celebrity photo prints, lots of dolls, antique hair salon equip, comic books, books, etc. etc. etc.........still unpacking!

Updates as photos will be added to website, www.cadyauction.com.


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SEAL Team 6 Author Discusses Value of Legit Nonprofits

With the war in Afghanistan set to end in 2014, and the Iraq war having ended two years ago, charities that help veterans and their families may be busier than ever - but without the public awareness generated by an ongoing conflict.

Support for the war effort in Afghanistan is on par with the unpopular Vietnam War during the early 1970s, according to a recent Associated Press-GfK poll; only 27 percent of Americans support the effort in Afghanistan. A fundamental difference between then and now, however, is Americans' nearly unanimous support of U.S. troops, says J. L. Narmi, author of SEAL Team 6, bin Laden and Beyond (www.narminovels.com).

"The vitriol expressed toward our Vietnam veterans by many was disgusting, but I think we learned from that injustice, and most Americans think the troops deserve much more support than they're getting," says Narmi, who comes from a military family. All proceeds from his book sales will go to support veterans' charities.

"The problem is that funding, whether it's through government or private charities, doesn't match the expressed support," he says. "And I worry that will only get worse as these soldiers move out of the public eye and try to take up peace-time lives."

Narmi cites some good resources for Americans looking for quality charities that support the troops:

• The Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org): With advances in protective gear and life-saving medical technology, fewer troops are coming home in coffins than in previous wars, but more are coming back with lifelong injury. This charity seeks to foster a generation of well-adjusted wounded service members, and to raise public awareness about their needs and how fellow military men and women can help each other.

• The Navy SEAL Foundation (www.navysealfoundation.org): As detailed in Narmi's novel, SEALs are among the most physically and mentally talented individuals in the world. But they, along with their families, endure enormous stressors, many of which are never discussed due to the nature of their duties. This charity supports these elite warriors and their families.

• Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org): Whether or not you think you know about the legitimacy of a charitable organization, it doesn't hurt to take a few minutes to verify an organization's status. This site is widely recognized by investigative reporters to be a reliable resource in reporting a nonprofit's activity. The above two groups, in which Narmi has donated money, have been verified via Charity Navigator.

• Still not sure? ... Skepticism is understandable. It seems the more we hear or read about charities, the more we learn that we shouldn't simply take their word for how donations will be spent. Media coverage spotlights those outlier groups that are clearly fraudulent; however, most charitable organizations are absolutely streamlined, with workers donating their time or receiving a minimal wage. It has never been easier to verify a charity's reputation. Additionally, for those with the time and willingness, individuals may create their own nonprofit. Narmi is working to set up his own, called Hire the Vets!

"If everyone who said they support the troops gave just a modest amount to help a veteran that has risked his or her life for our freedom, we would come across far fewer tragedies on the news about vet-related joblessness, homelessness and suicide," he says.

About J. L. Narmi

J. L. Narmi comes from family with deep roots in the military; his brother, retired Rear Admiral Ronald E. Narmi, worked closely with SEAL teams throughout his career. Narmi's fascination with the Navy SEALs resulted in ""SEAL Team 6, bin Laden and Beyond," which was completed just eight days before the real-life mission that resulted in bin Laden's death. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa and earned his MBA from Creighton University. Narmi is a graduate of the Securities Industry Institute of the Wharton School - University of Pennsylvania.

Monticello, Iowa - On Saturday, Oct. 27, AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) members are collaborating with Camp Courageous to do trail maintenance at the camp's ropes course. The community day is being held from 9 am to 1 pm at 12007 190 Street in Monticello, Iowa.

Volunteers are coming together to clean up brush to make the woods, specifically the ropes course, as safe as possible and more easily accessible for campers. In the event of rain, volunteers will clean the pool, lodge, cabins and a closet with costumes used for weekly dances. AmeriCorps NCCC invites residents from throughout the area to participate in this collaborative event.

"I'm very excited to meet community members and spread the word about Camp Courageous," says NCCC member Callie Keeney.

Tools and snacks are being provided. Volunteers are encouraged to dress warm. For further information about the community day please email serviceproject.outreach14@gmail.com or call 319-529-0587.

Camp Courageous serves over 6,000 individuals with disabilities annually. Their mission is to provide exceptional year-round recreational and respite care opportunities for individuals with special needs and their families. The camp is run primarily on donations, giving all individuals the opportunity to give through gifts of time, materials, money and other means that support the camp.

AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, residential, national service program in which 1,100 young adults serve nationwide each year. During their 10-month term, NCCC Members - all 18 to 24 years old - work on teams of eight to 12 on projects that address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and rural development. Members mentor students, construct and rehabilitate low-income housing, respond to natural disasters, clean up streams, help communities develop emergency plans, and address countless other local needs. The North Central Region campus in Vinton, Iowa is one five regional campuses in the United States and serves Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The other campuses are located in Perry Point, Md.; Sacramento, Calif.; Vicksburg, Miss.; and Denver, Colo.

In exchange for their service, NCCC Members receive $5,550 to help pay for college, or to pay back existing student loans. Other benefits include a small living stipend, room and board, leadership development, increased self-confidence, and the knowledge that, through active citizenship, people can indeed make a difference. AmeriCorps NCCC is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation improves lives, strengthens

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT, Quad Cities PBS invites the public to join them for a spooktacular night of fun and fundraising on Friday, November 2, 2012 when WQPT holds their 5th Annual Trivia Night on the 2nd floor of the Friends Circle Club located at 701- 18th Avenue in Moline, Illinois.

to reserve your table. Tables are $80 (8 People per table). There are cash prizes for the top three teams. First Place @160, Second Place $80 and Third Place $40.

WQPT is thrilled that once again, this year, the Trivia Night is being organized by the students in Western Illinois University Recreation, Park, and Tourism Administration program. 'Our class is really excited about getting a chance to plan a 'real world' event. This will give us a great experience that will translate into almost any career field," said RPTA 235 Marketing Group, Maggie Barks, Courtney Wright, Erik Winters, and Heather Satterly.

WQPT is a media service of Western Illinois University located in Moline, Illinois.