Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa 31st Annual Cent-A-Gallon Day: Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa are launching their 31st annual Cent-A-Gallon Day for Camp Courageous Wednesday, November 23, 2011. One-cent out of every gallon of petroleum products sold on the day before Thanksgiving, by participating marketers, will go to Camp Courageous.

Camp Courageous is a year-round recreation and respite care facility for individuals with special needs.  Run on donations, over 6,000 individuals are served annually.

On this day, participating Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores will give thanks by contributing one-cent from every gallon of petroleum product sold to Camp Courageous.  "The day before Thanksgiving was picked 31 years ago," according to Charlie Becker, the camp's director, "because both Camp Courageous and the Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores have felt we have an awful lot to be thankful for and it was the perfect time to give thanks for all our blessings."

Posters will be displayed in the windows of participating Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores to distinguish them as participants.  The Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa encourage everyone to join with their local petroleum marketer to give thanks this Thanksgiving, by helping Camp Courageous on the day before.

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Camp Courageous Annual Fruitcake Sales

Bring joy to a child this holiday

Quad Cities, USA- The Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program is once again helping area families by collecting toys for children this holiday season. This annual holiday program provides new toys for children of families who are are having a hard time adding Christmas gifts to their budget.

Starting on Saturday, November 5, all four local Wal-Marts will have a tree decorated with paper angel tags listing the age, gender and toy ideas. Anyone wanting to participate can select an angel tag from the tree and purchase a gift for a child. New, unwrapped toys for a child, along with the original tag can be returned to any Angel Tree location. The last day you can choose an angel is December 15 to allow time for distribution by The Salvation Army.

Major Gary Felton, Quad Cities Coordinator, states, "The Salvation Army is very dedicated to helping parents maintain a sense of normalcy and dignity so Christmas can truly be a blessed event for their family. Your donation of toys, time, talent or money will be a simple act that will help to ease the challenges in another person's life."

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The annual Bikes for Brains campaign is officially underway.  Organizers say this year they want to raise $7,500 to buy 150 bicycles and helmets for needy children.  66 bikes will go to children in the ROE's 33 Early Childhood Classrooms and the bulk of the remaining to Rock Island Head Start families.  Some of those families are recent immigrants and refugees from war torn nations.  Children in those families tend to be slightly older and need bigger and more expensive bikes.  The group will also be gifting qualified children identified by the Children's Therapy Center, Youth Hope, Winnie's Place, and The Project.

Mark your calendar for Monday, Dec 19th for the give away from 10:30 to 5:30 PM at the Martin Luther King Center located @ 630-9th Street in Rock Island.  Anderson's Bookfair Company in Aurora, Illinois has agreed once again to provide several gently used books for each of the children.  And the Quad City Pilot Club will provide helmets and safety lessons via a puppet show throughout the bike giveaway day.

Each year Bike 'N Hike, Queen's Parlour, and the Rock Island County Regional Office of Education (ROE) team up for this special campaign.  According to Sheila Burns, with the ROE, local donors continue to make this fund drive very successful every year.  "More than one thousand children have received their first bike because of this project. We have a loyal group of folks who donate every year. We want to thank each and every contributor no matter what the contribution!"

A bike with training wheels costs about $50. Donors can contribute any amount toward a bike.  Donations can be dropped off or mailed to:

Queen's Parlour
171-19th Avenue
Moline, IL 61265

Donors can make check payable to: Bikes for Brains

In honor of our 97th season, the QCSO is selling 1000 $97 raffle tickets which could win you $50,000!

In addition to that exciting Grand Prize, over $3500 in preliminary cash prizes will be awarded at Quad City Symphony Orchestra events this season, including a $2500 "early bird" prize on December 4. Winners of the preliminary prizes will remain eligible for the Grand Prize, so the earlier you buy your ticket, the better your chance to win! The $50,000 Grand Prize will be drawn on February 11 at our Valentine's Day concert with guest conductor Alondra de la Para.

Drawing schedule:

• Masterworks II, November 4, at the Adler Theatre: $250
• Masterworks II, November 5, in Centennial Hall: $250
• Holiday Pops, November 19, at the i wireless Center: $250
• Masterworks III, December 3, at the Adler Theatre: $250
• Masterworks III, December 4, in Centennial Hall: $2500
• Lyrebird Ensemble, January 21, at the Figge Art Museum: $250
• Masterworks IV, February 11, at the Adler Theatre: $50,000

Buy your tickets today at the QCSO Box Office or by mailing a check for $97 to 327 Brady Street, Davenport, Iowa, 52801. Your tickets will be mailed to you upon the receipt of your check.