Earn Discounts at Bon-Ton Stores while Supporting Goodwill's Job Training Programs

Milwaukee, WI ?As fall approaches, it's time to update this season's wardrobe.  For the best in the latest trends The Bon-Ton Stores offer affordable fall fashions to coincide with the celebration of newly updated stores during the Goodwill® Sale from September 14-28.  During this semi-annual event customers may donate gently used clothing and textiles at any Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's, Younkers or Parisian store locations to receive a discount coupon for each item donated for use toward new merchandise. Donations will be sold at Goodwill® stores with revenues funding job training programs and other services in the community to help people earn jobs, be independent and care for their families.

Shoppers will receive a discount coupon for each item of clothing or textile they donate. The coupon can be used at any of the Bon-Ton Stores nameplates to purchase apparel, shoes and accessories at a 20 percent discount; and cosmetics, fragrances and home store or luggage merchandise at a 15 percent discount.

Those who donate during the Goodwill Sale can take pride in knowing that their Goodwill donations are helping people with disabilities, those who lack education or work experience or others who face challenges to finding employment. Goodwill trains people to work in fields with high demands for skilled workers including healthcare, green industries, financial services and retail. In addition to job training and career development programs, Goodwill offers services that strengthen local communities, such as youth mentoring, financial planning and family strengthening.

"Each donation to Goodwill helps our friends and neighbors, many of whom are still struggling to find work in this difficult economy," said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. "Our donors, including those who participated in the Goodwill Sale, helped Goodwill agencies serve more than 2.4 million people last year?a 26 percent increase from 2009."

Customers who donate at Bon-Ton Stores during the Goodwill Sale are contributing multiple "Acts of Goodwill." Shoppers may also pledge their support for Goodwill's mission and register their donation on www.millionactsofgoodwill.com to receive a coupon for a 25 percent discount to use at the Bon-Ton Stores. They will also be to play the "Spin-to-Win" game for a chance to win a $100 gift card instantly and be entered into a sweepstakes for a chance win $1000 shopping spree.

"We are grateful for the many donors who continually support our Goodwill Sale and help people in their communities build their careers with Goodwill's help," said Bud Bergren, president and chief executive officer of The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. "We are very excited about the merchandise assortments for this event and believe our customers will respond enthusiastically.  We are also very pleased with our successful partnership with Goodwill which demonstrates our commitment to being positive participants in the communities we serve."

About Goodwill Industries International:

Goodwill Industries International is a network of 165 community-based agencies in the United States and Canada with 14 affiliates in 13 other countries. Goodwill is one of North America's top five most valuable and recognized nonprofit brands as well as a leading social services enterprise (Source: Cone Nonprofit Power Brand 100, 2009). Goodwill agencies are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that fund job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in nearly 2,600 stores and online at shopgoodwill.com. Local Goodwill agencies also build revenue and create jobs by contracting with businesses and government to provide a wide range of commercial services, including packaging and assembly, food service preparation, and document imaging and shredding. In 2010, 2.4 million people in the United States and Canada benefited from Goodwill's career services. Goodwill channels 84 percent of its revenues directly into its programs and services. To find a Goodwill location near you, use the online locator at www.goodwill.org , or call (800) 741-0186. Twitter: @GoodwillIntl

About The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., with corporate headquarters in York, Pennsylvania and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operates 275 department stores, which include 11 furniture galleries, in 23 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson Pirie Scott, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's and Younkers nameplates and, in the Detroit, MI, area, under the Parisian nameplate. The stores offer a broad assortment of national and private brand fashion apparel and accessories for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics and home furnishings. The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. is an active and positive participant in the communities it serves. The Goodwill Sale event is long-standing charitable partnership the Company developed to support and build strong communities. For further information, please visit the investor relations section of the Company's web site at http://investors.bonton.com. Twitter: @thebonton Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Bonton

Sunday, September 25, 2011, starting at 1:00 p.m. at the German American Heritage Center, 712 W. 2nd Street, Davenport, Iowa,

563-322-8844

This program presents an overview of German influence in the Davenport area schools, as well as a look at what resources are available to the public at the Davenport School Museum.  The presentation provides a look at some of the people with German heritage who made contributions to the development of education in this area and how settlement patterns influenced the development of the school system.  Not only was Davenport the site of Iowa's first kindergarten in the late 1860s, but the Davenport schools' introduction of drawing, physical education, and music classes in the mid- to late 1800s and the offering of "modern" foreign language (German) in 1867 were cutting-edge concepts in Midwestern schools and were all influenced by German Americans.  This presentation will include educators, students, and members of the public who have played a role in education in the Davenport area.  In addition to the program there will be a display featuring people of German ancestry who were important in the development ofDavenport area schools, some school artifacts, early student work, the history of the Kuhnen Medal, and some records of earlyDavenport schools that can help you trace some family history.  Jim Schebler personally found records for his father, aunts, and uncles at Polk School in the early 1900s.  He hadn't known that they attended that school at 8^th and Marquette, along with many other students of German ancestry in that area of Davenport.  Who knows what you might find in the old school records?

Jim and Maureen Schebler have had a lifelong interest in history, especially local and regional history.  Maureen graduated from Marycrest College in Davenport with majors in social studies and secondary education.  Jim graduated from St. AmbroseCollege with majors in political science and secondary education.

In high school and college Maureen was employed in a variety of positions in the Davenport Public Library.  After spending time as a stay-at-home mom in the early years of their marriage, Maureen was employed by the Davenport Public Schools as a para-educator in media.

Jim was employed by the Rock Island Public Schools for 39 years as a teacher of social studies.  After his retirement, he was employed as a part-time instructor in the Education Department at Augustana College in Rock Island for 10 years.  He taught the secondary social studies methods course and also worked with the supervision of student teachers.  Several articles that he has co-authored have been published in the Illinois History Teacher magazine.

Today Jim and Maureen are volunteers at the Davenport School Museum and have been working on digitalizing items in the collection of the Museum and preparing presentations based on these collections.

Red apples and yellow pencils will be given out at the beginning of this program while supplies last.

The Muscatine Art Center and Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department are cosponsoring Civil War Soldiers Greenwood Cemetery Tours on Sunday, September 25 and Saturday, October 1, 2011. 

The 1 ½ hour narrated tours (walking or bus) will include visiting the gravesites of many of the soldiers buried in Greenwood Cemetery that are also represented in the exhibit Muscatine & the Civil War: A Sesquicentennial Commemoration being held at the Muscatine Art Center. Among others, participants will learn about Muscatine soldiers Charles Knoblauch who owned a saloon in Muscatine before enlisting, and Abraham Hare, who established the first hat factory in Muscatine before becoming a Colonel for the Union Army.  

Sunday, September 25  - deadline for registration Sunday, September 18 
Tour times: 12:30PM & 3PM  
Saturday, October 1  - deadline for registration Saturday, September 24 
Tour times: 10AM, 12:30PM & 3PM  

Registration is $5.00 for adults. Seniors (age 65+) and youth 16 and under are free.  All participants MUST pre-register.  Register for one of the times listed above and indicate whether you would like a walking tour (maximum enrollment 15) or a bus tour (maximum enrollment 19). 

To register contact Katy Doherty, Program Coordinator at kdoherty@muscatineiowa.govor call 563.263.8282.