The 29th annual Mississippi Valley Blues Festival is less than three weeks away, but the event is still seeking volunteers.  Workers are needed for all positions, especially for the later shifts, hospitality, and set up and tear down.  The Festival happens July 4-6 in Davenport's LeClaire Park.

The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival could not survive without the work of its volunteers.  Those who sign up to work a 3 to 4-hour shift will receive:

•           Free Admission

•           Free Fest T-Shirt

To register, go to www.mvbs.org and click on BluesFest, then Volunteers.  That will take you to the registration page.

Or call the MVBS office at 563-322-5837.

The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival is produced by the non-profit Mississippi Valley Blues Society.  The 2013 lineup features the usual mix of up-and-coming blues stars as well as legends, with 27 acts on two stages.  Featured headliner is the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band playing on the Bandshell Saturday July 6.

Advance tickets for the 2013 BluesFest are available through June 30 at all Quad-City Hy-Vee stores, Hy-Vees in Clinton and Muscatine, Muddy Waters in Bettendorf, Rascals in Moline, Martinis on the Rock in Rock Island, through the MVBS office at 563-32-BLUES, and online at mvbs.org.  Advance tickets are only $15 per day;  tickets at the gate are $20 per day.

There are also a special discount tickets for active military and veterans, available through June 30 only at R.I.A. Federal Credit Union locations.

Volunteers needed for the Bix7 road race and its related festivities and functions.  The race is July 27 at 8:00am. We need volunteers prior to, during, and after the race.

The committees need adults and young adults (12 years old and older).

Please call us at 563-383-5353 or log on to the volunteer section at www.bix7.com to sign up or for more information.

Summer Blockbuster Edition!

A Victory for Our Community!

Illinois Secretary of Transportation Ann Schneider meets with QCI Transportation Equity Stakeholders and Commits to Bring Highway Construction Careers Training Program to the Quad Cities

On the last day of April, Illinois Secretary of Transportation Ann Schneider met with 30 QCI leaders, and other concerned community members for a Stakeholders meeting in Rock Island to discuss the status of the rail project coming to the Quad Cities, and to share our work in development of the "100 Ready Workers" Job Preparedness project. Sec Schneider emphasized the importance of community partnerships to address preparing our communities and for achieving common goals of greater diversity in the workforce.

QCI won a major victory by securing a commitment from the Secretary to bring the Illinois DOT's Highway Construction Careers Training Program (HCCTP) to the Illinois Quad Cities. The HCCTP is a partnership between IDOT and the Illinois Community College Board and will provide an approximately $300,000 grant given to Black Hawk College in Moline, which will administer the program. The mission of the HCCTP  program is "to increase the total number of minorities, women and disadvantaged individuals who obtain employment, through the construction trades, in Illinois' highway construction industry." This intensive program is expected to accept 15-30 candidates a year, who will go through more than 400 hours of training, preparing them for careers in the highway construction trades. The Quad Cities is one of only ten such programs in Illinois. In addition, QCI's Task Force will be a part of the Advisory Board the State requires for the program to ensure the program goals and community needs are being met.

QCI to Hold "Dream for All" Rally for Immigration Reform on Saturday, June 29 at 10:00 am at Schwiebert Riverfront Park in Rock Island

As debate moves ahead in Washington, D.C. on immigration reform, QCI is inviting you to join us for a "Dream for All "Rally for Reform to pray, bear witness and call on Congress and the President to pass comprehensive immigration reform that is humane, has a clear path to legal citizenship, has a just and fair legalization process, and stops the deportations that are tearing families apart. We will hear testimonials about how the broken immigration system is hurting families and our community, and how we as communities of faith can act for justice. We are honored  that Casa Guanajuato Quad Cities, QC Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees and World Relief are partnering with QCI on the day's program. Thank you!

The program will be held at the bandshell of the park from 10 am to 11am.  Join us for this call for just, humane and comprehensive immigration reform. Bring a lawn chair and many friends. For more information, contact QCI at 563.322.4910.

4th Annual QCI Taco Nite Fundraiser is Tuesday, June 25 from 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm at Azteca 3 Restaurant, 2400 Spruce Hills Dr., Bettendorf

Back by popular demand  -- The 4th Annual QCI Taco Nite Fundraiser! Tickets are $10.00 per person for a wonderful taco buffet dinner. What a deal!  Drinks & Gratuity are not included. Our thanks once again to the generosity of the Azteca Restaurants for their sponsorship. Fun, food and fellowship - all for a good cause! (Hopefully by then it will be too hot to cook!) Purchase tickets in advance to ensure you get in on this great event.

To purchase tickets, call 563.322.4910. Spread the word and help support QCI

QCI Leaders meet with Congressman Dave Loebsack

In May, clergy and lay leaders met with Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa to learn more about our new Congressman and to listen to his insights into upcoming legislation to address immigration reform. QCI has invited Congressman Loebsack to participate in a "church basement hearing" on immigration, to listen directly to the community about how they will be impacted by reform . This event should be held during the July break or during August recess. We will post on our website when date is confirmed.

Rekindling Our Congregations (ROC):

The Fire of Faith Campaign - A Movement to Rekindle Our Congregations

An update on our 2013 Fire of Faith campaign to build strong congregations, and develop relationships between area congregations. This year, we have created a Rekindling Our Congregations (ROC) Cohort, which includes All Saints Lutheran Church, Davenport, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Bettendorf, St. Mary's Davenport, the Social Action Office of the Diocese of Davenport and Saint Paul the Apostle, Davenport . The cohort is on a year long journey together of congregational development and strengthening .  This Spring, leaders met for two trainings in April and May and, having surveyed their members about their congregations, are kicking off their Listening campaigns. A Listening campaign is a structured and intentional process of one to ones held in the congregations. During this time, a team of members hold one to ones amongst their congregations , which are designed to build relationships, learn more about their fellow members, and begin to develop ideas for new ministries or developing lay leaders for current ministries.

Using the arts, attitudes and disciplines of the faith based community organizing, Fire of Faith will strengthen a congregation in ways that are measurable to that congregation. While often it is community issue work that draws and keeps a congregation engaged in QCI, this Fire of Faith process focuses in on what a congregation can do using our tools to build their congregation and make sure they are growing and building community.  For more information about the ROC , and about how your congregation can participate next year, call Leslie at 563.322.4910.

QCI and Local Faith Leaders Meet with Bishop Martin Amos and Gamaliel Director of Training John Norton

The Director of Gamaliel Network, John Norton, was a featured speaker at the recent Bible and Justice Conference May 29 - June 2, at St. Ambrose University. While in the Quad Cities, Mr. Norton joined QCI leaders, clergy and social action leaders of the Davenport Diocese at an engaging dialog hosted by Bishop Martin Amos. John spoke about the need for mainline denominations to rebuild community and how the tools of congregation based organizing can help congregations get stronger and take the lead in building those connections we as a society have lost.

QCI Issue Updates

Transportation and Jobs Equity

The next meeting of the Transportation Equity/100 Ready Workers Project will be Wednesday, June 26 9:00am at Church of Peace- 12th and 12th in Rock Island.  Next Steps include recruiting organizations that want to help identify potential candidates in the area for job preparedness training, including the HCCTP through BlackHawk College, and creating a criteria for participating in 100 Ready Workers project.

100 Ready Workers Campaign. Along with continuing our goal of ensuring equitable access to work force hours for minorities, women, low income persons for the rail project through the Community Benefits Agreement, the task force is tackling the issue of job preparedness in our community. Nancy H. , commented on this book and the purpose of the class :  "Rev Jay's sermon about the babies abandoned in the river raised the question of how we can address root causes of injustice. I think reading the book together can help us figure out how to speak publicly--and effectively-- about such things as mass incarceration/racism (with its built-in jobs); immigration injustice; and ravaging the environment for profit." If you don't have the book, you can still come to class! Contact the congregation at 562.359.0816 for more information.

Immigration

QCI leaders joined hundreds of others in Cedar Rapids to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the immigration raid in Postville.

Immigration Task Force meets Tuesday, June 10th at 530pm before QCI's monthly Leadership Assembly at St Mary's Church, Davenport. WE will be working on the Immigration Rally and the "church basement hearing " on immigration for July

Health Equity

The Task force continues to work with the local health systems to ensure equitable access to medical translation services for those whose first language is not English.

Community Events

Medgar Wiley Evers Day! Wednesday, June 12 4:00pm - 5 :00pm

Membership and Voter Registration Drive at United Neighbors, Davenport. Co Sponsored by Davenport NAACP Branch #4019 and United Neighbors

City of Davenport 20th Annual Youth Fest Saturday July 13 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Centennial Park , Davenport - Games, activities, and interactive displays and new this year - explores. This event if FREE. Tuesday, July 10 at 6:30pm at Centennial Park, Davenport

QCAIR FESTIVAL  D'>T>

AN EVENT TO REMEMBER! at Schweibert Riverfront Park, Rock Island, Illinois Cost is $5.00 per person/$10.00 per family - Come enjoy the music, food, and color of the rich cultural diversity right here in the QCA! The Quad City Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (QCAIR) announces its First Annual Fund Raising Event - Festival d'>té. Enjoy   ethnic   food   and   a   children's   corner   filled   with  fun things to do including Maypole dances, a  "join-in"  drum circle, and face painting. Please - bring you own chairs!

Juneteenth Celebration!  Friday and Saturday June 14 and 15 - all day

LeClare Park Bandshell,Davenport - Admission is free! 

QCI June leadership assembly is Tuesday June 11 at 6:30pm at St Mary's church - 516 Fillmore Davenport

The Miss Iowa Pageant was held this past weekend the historic Adler Theatre in Davenport Iowa.Thirteen young women competed for the title of Miss Iowa 2013 and 10 contestants are vied for the title of Miss Iowa's Outstanding Teen 2013. After three nights of competition, Nicole Kelly, of Keokuk was crowned Miss Iowa 2013. Emma Kate Wichman of Bettendorf was named Miss Iowa's Outstanding Teen 2013. Over $25,000 in cash scholarships were awarded to the Miss Iowa contestants this year as well as over $500,000 in in-kind scholarships! Numerous scholarships and awards were presented to contestants in all age categories. (A full list of awards is attached.)

Nicole Kelly will continue on to represent the state of Iowa at Miss America which will be held in Atlantic City in September. Emma Kate Wichman will move on to the national completion, Miss America's Outstanding Teen which will be held in August in Orlando, Florida. Both young ladies will compete in five areas of competition at the national level including: Interview, Talent, Evening Gown, On-Stage Question and Fitness. Both Kelly and Wichman will spend the upcoming year representing Iowa with appearances and events throughout the state with a focus on promoting their platforms. Nicole Kelly's platform is "Overcoming Disabilities" and Emma Kate Wichman's platform is "E.P.I.C. Mission: Pay It Forward." Follow the excitement of their journeys throughout the year at www.facebook.com/missiowa or @MissIowaOrg on Twitter.

About Nicole:
Hometown: Keokuk, IA
Parents: Mike and Pam Kelly
Nicole is a 2012 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a BA in Directing & Theater Management.
Platform: Overcoming Disabilities
Talent: Vocal
Local Title: Miss Metro

About Emma Kate:
Hometown: Bettendorf, IA
Parents: Amy and Jim Wichman
Emma is a student at Pleasant Valley High School.
Platform: E.P.I.C. Mission: Pay It Forward
Talent: Baton Show Twirl
Local Title: Miss Scott County's Outstanding Teen

About the Miss Iowa Scholarship Program
An official preliminary to the Miss America Scholarship Pageant, the Miss Iowa Scholarship Program is dedicated to empowering young women to achieve their dreams and goals. The Miss Iowa Scholarship Program is a non-profit organization. Through the assistance of our local communities and scholarship patrons, the Miss Iowa Scholarship Program offers college scholarships to some of the most outstanding young women of Iowa. The Miss America Program is the largest scholarship organizations for women in the world. Total scholarship available annually at the local, state and national level totals over 45 million dollars. Visit www.missiowa.com for complete information on the Miss Iowa Scholarship Program.