Quad City residents are invited to recycle their 'gently worn' shoes for people in need

Nashville, TN - DATE - Every 9 seconds, Soles4Souls Inc. gives away another pair of shoes to someone in need.  The shoe charity has earned glowing endorsements from Hollywood stars and professional athletes, but the people that truly make the non-profit organization effective are those who clean out their closets to personally drop off their 'gently worn' shoes at a participating location, such as the QC Child Development Center.

For a limited time, Soles4Souls and Quad Cities Child Development Center will be collecting your gently worn footwear and/or donations to ship the shoes to a person in need, whether they are victims of a natural disaster or subject to living in extreme poverty.  It is estimated that Americans have 1.5 billion pairs of unused shoes lying in their closets.  The charity can use each and every one of these pairs to make a tangible difference in someone's life.

"We can use the shoes taking up space in your closet to change the world one pair at a time," said Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls, Wayne Elsey.  "We need our partners in the Quad Cities to 'STEP UP' and get behind our call for action.  It's one of the most simple yet profound gifts you can make, because it will greatly improve someone's life in the most difficult of times," he said.

Come to the Quad Cities Child Development Center, 4959 Utica Ridge Road, Davenport, October 29, 2010, 3:00-5:00 pm

People and companies interested in donating can visit the organization's website at www.giveshoes.org.

2010 Celtic Highland Games Schedule by Area

Saturday, Sept 18th at Centennial Park, Davenport

Heavy Games - Scottish Athletics: The Caber Toss, Hammer Throw and More!

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Athletics Field - competitions in several stone throws: weight over bar and weight for distance, hammer throw, sheaf toss and the caber toss.

The day ends with the just-for-fun Irish Keg Toss.

Piping

9:00
Three bagpipe bands playing at various times all day around the grounds. Featuring: Celtic Cross Pipes and Drums, of Peoria; Blackhawk Pipe Band, of the Quad Cities, and Turlach Ur, an award-winning pipe and drum band out of Grinnell, Iowa.

4:30 ish - Gathering of the Pipe Bands, playing in rounds and then as one. Who's your favorite? Vote with applause as the bands try to out-do one another.

Highland Dance in the Entertainment Tent

8:30 am
9:00 am
1:00 pm
1:30 pm

Trophies sponsored by the Scottish American Society of the Quad Cities!

Bonnie Knees . . Right after the Parade of Tartans

Bonnie Knees Which man has the best legs? 12:30 p.m.

Stay for the haggis howl and wellie toss, too!

Entertainment Tent - East end of festival grounds

Following the Highland Dance Competition:  Mullane Healy O'Brien Irish Dance Academy performances

5:30 p.m. on - Evening Music, $5. See list below!

Evening Music in the Entertainment Tent - Just $5 for over 6 hours of entertainment!

5:30 - Barley House Band - Irish roots and American branches, a Quad City favorite!
7:00 - Laura and the Lads- Music of Ireland, Scotland, England, France and Northern Spain.
MacKenzie plays a variety of wind instruments and voice, with the lads on percussion, bass,
fiddle, guitar and clarinet.
9:30 - Highland Reign - High-energy progressive Scots-American Celtic music with plenty of
rockin' Scottish tunes.

Workshops and Demonstrations - southeast corner of the festival grounds

10 a.m. to 11 a.m.- Celtic Knot Class: Come and learn the history and motifs of Celtic knot work, see examples by master knot work artists, and try making some knots of your own! These infinite knots where thought to represent eternity to Celtic monks, come discover what they might mean to you.

Primary/Beginner/Novice Registration
Primary/Beginner/Novice Competition Begins
Intermediate/Premier Registration
Intermediate/Premier Competition Begins

10:30 to 11:30 - Cloggers - Learn traditional dances, made famous by Scots-Irish immigrants to the mountains of America

1 p.m. to 2 p.m. - Hammered Dulcimer workshop with Reg & Linda Shoesmith.

2:15 p.m.- Joe Nobiling, Celtic fiddler with an American accent, Joe Nobiling will provide a presentation on the role of Celtic fiddle tunes and songs during the American Civil War. Beware: should attendees have instruments in hand (or cases) a mini-session is liable to result! John Kinser will be accompanying Joe on bodhran and Heather Nobiling on spoons and vocals.

All day:

Weaving & Spinning demos by Valley Spinners & Weavers- The guild is dedicated to providing guidance, inspiration, continuing education and fellowship to weavers and spinners. Membership is open to all skill levels and provides on-going mentoring and study-group opportunities. They meet on the first Tuesday of most months, at Hauberg Civic Center in Rock Island.

Historic dances and reels, taught by Step Back in Tyme. Enjoy period music as you learn and perform historic dances from the 1700-1800's ranging from English country dances, Scottish Reels, and early American line dances.

What Else is Going On?

Noon: Parade of Tartans around the field. Check in at Clan Row by 11 a.m. to participate as a family group.

Clan Heritage Tents - Meet representatives of Irish and Scottish families, along with organizations of Welsh/Cornish, Irish and Scottish heritage groups.

Vote for the best clan tent! Get your ballot at the clan headquarters tent.

Vendor Row: Stop by for something good to eat or bring home a souvenir of your day!

Beer, pop and water will be available from the Celtic Festival Beverage tents. Yes, that includes Guinness & Smithwick!

Family Fun - Children's Games, Crafts and Living History Camps

Family Activities Tent - Activities sponsored by Modern Woodmen of America

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stop by anytime for fun family activities and make-and-take crafts for kids. Lots of smiles to go around. All activities are free!

Kingdom of Andorra Living History Camp- north side of the festival grounds

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with scheduled talks throughout the day

Sharing an area are two activities that will be sure to attract attention all day long:

Belegarth Medieval Combat Society

Come join the fun with a safe, and inexpensive sport where participants wear medieval or fantasy-themed clothing and fight with foam-padded weapons. The fighting is hard and fast and has, since 1979, refined into its own brand of martial art. The rules are easy to learn, and after a few practices, you'll be hooked!

Quad City Irish Rugby - Teams will play at 10 a.m., 12:45 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.

GALENA, Ill. - Autumn is always a popular time to visit scenic Galena, but add the chance to tour inside five private historic homes and the lure becomes irresistible.  Architecture, interior decorating, antiques and history are featured elements of the 43rd annual Tour of Historic Galena Homes showcasing five private homes plus the Galena History Museum. A signature event for the Galena-Jo Daviess County Historical Society, the tour runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine, both Saturday and Sunday, September 25 & 26, 2010.

Built in 1870 by Otis Horton, a prominent local contractor, the Italianate Horton-Eustice House cost $2,500 to build. Two generations of the Eustice family, who made their fortune in the Galena Axle Grease Company, lived in this home almost 80 years, beginning in 1910. The Eustices replaced the narrow Victorian porch with a generous Craftsman-style porch, creating an airy outdoor living space for wicker furniture, art and plants. The stucco exterior was recently repainted in Victorian colors. After dreaming of living in historic Galena for 13 years, the current owners purchased the spacious two-story home in 1999, relocating from California. The interior is decorated in proper Victorian style with Lincrusta-Walton wallpapers and antiques. The spacious vintage kitchen features a 1923 monitor-top refrigerator, Hoosier cabinet, bin table, St. Charles cabinets and an antique stove. Recently restored sun porches face the river and provide a scenic view of Galena.

In 1845 Andrew Telford built what is now one of Galena's oldest homes, Telford House, facing the Galena River. It has not been open to the public for several decades. A graceful example of Greek Revival architecture, its exterior has changed little since 1845. Previous owners carefully restored and updated the interior and added a screened porch. The current owners are committed to its preservation, and have undertaken minor renovations. The interior houses British antiques appropriate to the original and current owners, including English porcelain, brass candlesticks, and 18th and 19th-century watercolors. Hand-embroidered crewel fabric draperies, imported from London, frame the tall windows. Near its Park Avenue façade, the original covered well has a storybook charm. Nearby stands the oldest surviving Galena street lamp.

Colonel Darius Hunkins arrived in Galena in 1838 to superintend the Illinois Central Railroad. In 1842 he engaged in mining and smelting, and in 1847 he built the Spring and Meeker Street bridges. He used part of his fortune to build an elegant Greek Revival mansion named the Hunkins House in 1846. An 1877 addition on the back connected the house and its close neighbor through a doorway (now bricked in) as the Hunkins' daughter and her husband were given the adjoining home as a wedding gift. The current owners purchased the home in 1998 and turned it into an opulent, high Victorian bed and breakfast named Annie Wiggins Guest House with seven guest rooms. Original wood trim, fireplaces, and plank flooring?some 24" wide?present an historic ambiance while new luxurious bathrooms and finest linens make this home casual and comfortable for guests. Cozy side porches with wicker furniture and comfy pillows are surrounded by lush gardens, fountains, and statuary.

The DeZoya House, a comfortable federal brick home, was built in 1838 by John P. DeZoya and his wife Anna Maria. Mr. DeZoya came to Galena from Switzerland, where he had been a lieutenant in Napoleon's army. The current owners purchased the house in 2008 and completely renovated the interior. With the original floors uncovered and restored, this cozy home is tastefully decorated with antiques, including Scandinavian and historic items. A two story addition, containing a single car garage and master bedroom suite, was added in 2009. The addition was one of the three finalists for the 2010 Galena Annual Historical Preservation Award. The house is set on a 1 1/4 acre park-like setting on the edge of town bordered by Davis Creek. Visitors to the DeZoya house will likely agree that it is a wonderful blend of old and new and understand why the owners affectionately refer to her as "Windows and Spindles."

Just five minutes from Galena, the Muchow Farmstead is a Craftsman-style house with scenic vistas that has been home to four generations. Built in 1931, this home replaced a previous one destroyed by fire just sixteen days after the first Muchow family moved in. Only the original limestone foundation, which turned a lovely pinkish hue when exposed to the fire, remains; it is now incorporated into the lower level family room. Like many rural farmsteads, there was no electricity until 1941; no plumbing until 1951. The current generation has lived in the home for 20 years. The family connection is palpable in photographs and heirlooms. Country antiques are creatively displayed with a casual flair, anchored by original honey-colored wood flooring. Cottage-style flower and vegetable gardens grace the spacious yard dotted with red outbuildings and a pen of geese. A dedicated canning kitchen preserves the seasonal abundance from this bucolic farmstead steeped in family tradition.

A free shuttle service will operate between all tour homes and ticket locations. Tour guides, many in period attire, will provide historic narrative at each home. Free admission to the Galena History Museum is included with the home tour ticket and will include a behind-the-scene guided tour of the 1858 mansion/museum's non-public areas. During the home tour, the museum will be hosting a new temporary exhibit entitled "Citizen Grant: 1860-61," showcasing the Ulysses S. Grant family's pre-Civil War year of residency in their new home town.

The 43rd annual Tour of Historic Galena Homes is sponsored by the Galena - Jo Daviess County Historical Society. Tickets are $14, $12 in advance (before September 15); children under 10 are free with an adult. Tickets and maps are available tour weekend at the Old Train Depot Visitor Information Center at 100 Bouthillier St., the DeSoto House Hotel at 230 S. Main St., the history museum at 211 S. Bench St. and any home on the tour. Advance tickets (non-refundable) are available at the Galena History Museum, or phone (815) 777-9129 to purchase by credit card.

For further event information, contact the Historical Society at (815) 777-9129 or visit www.galenahistorymuseum.org. Additional area offerings and visitor information may be found at the Galena/Jo Daviess County Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.galena.org or by calling (877) Go-Galena. While in town, visit the CVB's Old Train Depot Visitor Information Center at 101 Bouthillier St. (corner of Park Avenue) for on-site assistance and countywide information.

Mark Your Calendar!  Tom Cordaro , author of "Be Not Afraid," is presenting a Seminar: Be not Afraid: An Alternative to the War on Terror, Living Unafraid: a Biblical Path to Freedom.

Tom has worked for many years at the National level of Pax Christi. He organized anti-war disarmament, economic justice and peace campaigns. Tom has a Masters Degree in pastoral studies from St. Thomas University, Miami, Fl.

• Seminar Date: Sat. Sept 11, 2010 from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

• Place: St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa in the New Hall Building lower level at the corner of Gaines and Lombard Streets. Parking is available across Gaines St.

• Early registration: $8.00. Call Ollie 563-332-1007 - at the door $10.00 Students with ID free.

• Sponsors: Pax Christi QC, Sisters of Humility, Davenport, IA, Sisters of St. Benedict, Rock Island, IL, Ambrosians for Peace and Justice, Davenport, IA.

Be Not Afraid;  An Alternative to the "War on Terror", Tom Cordaro

Grounded in history and a faith tradition, Be Not Afraid invites us to overcome the narrative of fear in our country promoted by the "War on Terror" and the attacks of September 11, 2001. Instead, we are called to embrace an alternative narrative of hope and freedom. This alternative requires that we, as individuals and as community members, act to reclaim the civic and religious principles at the core of our national story, principles that can build genuine peace rooted in justice at home and around the world

Named "Best Book by a Small Publisher" in 2008 by the Catholic Press Association and "Peacemaker of the Year" award from the Independent Publishers.

We are often told that the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, changed everything and that we must support an endless, ongoing "War on Terror." But is this what we are called to as Christians? What if we chose a different path? What if the fear-based story?the narrative?we are asked to believe is not the only alternative?

In this challenging book, long-time peace activist Tom Cordaro helps us first to understand terrorism in a historical context and to examine the story we are told we must believe after 9-11. Then, he outlines what the creation of an alternative story might look like.

We need to tell such a different story, one grounded in the underappreciated and often unacknowledged U.S. history of a democratic republic founded on principles and ideals now under attack by the "War on Terror," a story that continues the work-in-progress of our country, a nation continually striving to more fully live up to its ideals. This alternative story is based not on fear or on a view of peace as enforced order, but on the concept of peace as an enterprise of justice. We need to tell this different story, a story linked to our great Christian narrative: the hope and promise of God as revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

This book invites us to overcome the narrative of fear in our country. It invites us instead to embrace a narrative of hope and to play an active role, as individuals and as members of a community, in reclaiming our U.S. story from those who would seek to delete it.

Updated and reissued 2010--with a new preface addressing the Obama Administration.