DAVENPORT, IA - JANUARY 2016 - Gilda's Club Quad Cities CEO Claudia Robinson is retiring after 18 years in the position.  Sally Werner, current Gilda's Club board member, will replace Robinson as CEO effective January 6, 2016.

Robinson was hired as Gilda's Club Quad Cities' first CEO (and first employee) in 1997 after responding to an ad in the newspaper. "The ad told the story of a place that would reach out to families affected by a cancer diagnosis. It would be free of charge, non residential, and available for men, women, and children," Robinson said. ""Responding to the ad was the best decision I ever made."

Robinson has been an integral part of the organization, not only providing leadership on a local level, but serving as chair of the Cancer Support Community Affliliate Council for many years. 

Werner is leaving an Executive Director, Home Care and Hospice position with Trinity Health (HQ Michigan). She has worked in cancer care for the last 18 years in both small and large health care organizations.  

"We are honored to have such a respected and intelligent person such as Sally join our organization, said Melissa Wright, Program Director. "With her background in cancer care and her compassionate, caring personality, Sally will fit right in."

Werner holds a Bachelor's degree in Nursing and a Master's degree in Health Administration. Her first involvement in Gilda's Club was in Philadelphia, and she eventually joined the Board of Directors in the Quad Cities in 2014.

Gilda's Club provides hope, education and support to people with cancer and their loved ones. Through professionally led support groups, informational workshops and mind/body classes, people affected by cancer learn vital skills to improve the quality of their lives and make them better partners with their medical professionals. All programs and services are provided free of charge to our members. Gilda's Club Quad Cities is affiliated with the largest professionally led network of cancer support worldwide, the Cancer Support Community.

For more information about the programs and services offered by Gilda's Club, please call 563-326-7504 or email gc@gildasclubqc.org

Members of the Moline Rotary Club donated 523 mittens, gloves, scarves and hats this week to help keep children in the Moline School District warm during the coming winter months.  These items will be donated to ten Moline-Coal Valley Elementary Schools and for use by students who do not have warm weather attire or who have forgotten theirs at home.

"Moline Rotarians continue to give back to the community through programs such as Warm Hands from Kind Hearts," says Tom Bracke, President of Moline Rotary. "I appreciate the generosity of Moline Rotarians to help make sure younger students in Moline and Coal Valley public schools can stay warm this winter".

2015 marks the 6th Annual "Warm Hands from Kind Hearts" initiative within Moline Rotary.  The Moline Rotary Community Needs Committee continuously identifies additional opportunities to impact the citizens within the city of Moline and the Rock Island County area. "Moline Rotary and our 120 members celebrated our 100th anniversary of service to the community in 2014 and we are continuing our caring support into the next centruy," said Bracke. The club also supports numerous service projects in the Quad Cities and through Rotary International."

The mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

-30-

Quad Cities, USA: The Salvation Army is pleased to announce that VON MAUR, the locally owned high-end department store, will sponsor the fifth annual Red Kettle Match Days this weekend.

On December 18th and 19th, VON MAUR will make a dollar-for-dollar match up to $10,000 to Quad Cities red kettle donations at Northpark and Southpark Malls.  The five locations include two large red kettles inside of the malls.

Donations are needed to help meet this campaign's goal of $815,000.  We are currently at $459,000 of that goal. The Salvation Army asks the community to take VON MAUR up on their challenge in order to maximize gifts made to The Salvation Army of the Quad Cities.

Major Gary Felton, Quad Cities Coordinator is "so pleased to partner again with such a notable and admired business in our community. The timing of this match weekend couldn't be any better our Red Kettle Campaign. I am confident we will meet our goal because of the generosity of the Quad City Community. We often see large checks, large bills and gold coins."

The Red Kettle campaign provides 60% of the annual budget used by The Salvation Army to provide people with their basic needs, warm shelter and nutritious food, new life skills, character building - anything necessary to help community members achieve healthy, productive living.   

Quad Cities, USA: The Salvation Army of the Quad Cities will hold its Fifth Annual "Pack All Night" Event on Friday, December 11h.

Fifty volunteers made up of groups from the John Deere Neon Group, and Girl Scouts will pack 1,800 food boxes filled with a Christmas dinner.

TIME:  5:30pm - 8:30pm  
DATE:  Friday, December 11
PLACE:  The Salvation Army Corps Community Center
2200 - 5th Avenue, Moline, IL 61265

The food boxes are part of The Salvation Army's Christmas Assistance Program where Quad Cities families and individuals will receive large boxes of food and toys for their children.  1,800 families signed up for Christmas Assistance which takes place December 17th and 18th.