07 Feb 2011

Volunteers Needed to Wrap Trees for LL&W's MillionTrees Project

By Dr. Jeffrey Bassman

East Moline, IL/January 28, 2011 - Chad Pregracke's Quad Cities-based environmental group needs volunteers to help in a project to improve the future of area waterways. Living Lands & Waters, an East Moline, Illinois non-profit organization is planning to distribute 100,000 free oak tree saplings in April as part of LL&W's "MillionTrees Project." The goal of the project is to improve the health of rivers in the Midwest, by re-establishing hardwoods that have been depleted by over-harvesting, flooding and disease.

Volunteers, including families with children, are invited to take part in tree wrapping events being held throughout March. "Wrapping 100,000 trees takes a lot of work" said Chad Pregracke, founder and President of Living Lands & Waters. Pregracke adds, "It's a great venue to help the community and educate people on why trees are important."

Trees provide shelter and nut-bearing hardwoods are a viable food source for wildlife and migratory birds. Slow-growing hardwoods like oaks have a harder time re-establishing themselves without help, and are often crowded out by faster growing species, like cottonwoods, willow and silver maples. Re-establishing hardwoods help increase biodiversity, reduce erosion and run-off and improve water and air quality.

Individual registration is not required, but strongly encouraged. Groups of 5 or more must pre-register. Volunteers can stay for an hour or all day. For questions or to register, please contact Ashley Stover at Ashley@livinglandsandwaters.org or at 309.737.5913.

Tree wrapping events will occur at the following places and locations:

QCCA Expo Center, Rock Island:

Saturday, March 19 8am - 4pm

-Sunday, March 20 8am - 4pm

-Monday, March 21 11am - 8pm

-Tuesday, March 22 11am - 8pm

Volunteers should show up at the North Hall of the QCCA Expo Center, 2621 4th Avenue, Rock Island.

LL&W Headquarters@ (17624 Rte. 84 N, East Moline, IL)

-March 1-5, 8am - 5pm -March 14-17, 8am - 5pm

- March 7-12, 8am - 5pm -March 28 - April 2, 8am - 5pm

Volunteers will be asked to help with the following: bundling trees in newspaper, placing trees in bags, tying, tagging, or organizing them. Participating children MUST be supervised. Volunteers are asked to wear warm and comfortable clothes that can get dirty.

Trees will be distributed in April to individuals, families, agencies, business and organizations throughout the Midwest. The saplings will also be distributed to the general public during the QCCA Lawn and Garden Show, March 25-27th on a first come, first served basis. The goal of the MillionTrees Project is to grow and plant 1 MILLION trees.

Anyone interested in volunteering or reserving free oak saplings for planting may contact MillionTrees Project Coordinator, Ashley Stover at Ashley@livinglandsandwaters.org or at 309.737.5913. More information on the MillionTrees Project can be found at www.livinglandsandwaters.org/milliontrees.


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03 Feb 2011

Trivia Night to benefit the ARC and St. Anne's Parish

By Jared Johnson

Put Your Snow Day to Good Use!

Put your snow day to good use honing your trivia game skills in preparation for trivia fun the night before "the Big Game."  The Arc of Rock Island County announces its continued partnership with St. Anne's Parish for the Third Annual Trivia Night on Saturday, February 5, benefiting St. Anne's Parish and The Arc of Rock Island County.  $10 per player, payable at the door.  Features teams of three minimum, up to a maximum of eight.  Participants are welcome to bring snacks (only) and drinks will be available for purchase.  There will also be 50/50 Drawings and Theme Basket raffles.  Reservations recommended as seating is limited.   Register or volunteer by calling 309-786-6474.  The Arc gratefully acknowledges Southeast National Bank, KONE Employees Credit Union, and our auction basket donors for sponsoring this family-fun event.

 

Saturday, February 5, 2011 

5:30 PM - doors open

6:30 PM - trivia game begins

 

Location:

St. Anne's Parish

Cleary Hall

602-17th Avenue

East Moline, IL

 

Event Contact Info:

Jan Haugen

309-755-4876 or 309-781-4508

Maureen Dickinson

309-786-6474 or dickinsonm@arcric.org

 

Founded in 1952, The Arc is committed to living and working

in partnership with the community to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

01 Feb 2011

Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend Expands and Offers Two Grand Tastings

By Tim Althaus
GALENA, Ill. - Coming off of an extremely successful 2010, with the Grand Tasting selling out three weeks prior to the event date, the Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend committee announces that they've added a second Grand Tasting to the wine-focused weekend, allowing even more opportunity and flexibility to attend.

"We are thrilled to offer an additional Grand Tasting on Saturday afternoon as well as Friday evening," said event sponsor Tim Althaus, owner, Family Beer & Liquor. "Over the past six years, this event has continued to grow to be one of the largest indoor wine tasting events in the state. Offering two Grand Tastings allows for even more people to enjoy this great opportunity."

At the heart of Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend, the Grand Tasting and Wine Auction offers epicureans of all levels more than 300 varieties of hand-picked wines and spirits from which to sample. The Grand Tasting will be held at two different times this year: Friday, March 25 from 6-8 p.m. (registration begins at 5:30 p.m.) and on Saturday, March 26 from 4-6 p.m. (registration begins at 3:30 p.m.). Both events are hosted at the Galena Convention Center, 900 Galena Square Drive, Galena, Illinois.

Cost is $30 in advance (purchase online: www.wineloversweekend.com) or $35 at the door (subject to availability). Admission also provides you with a keepsake wine glass and an opportunity to win a wine-themed trip to San Francisco. Additional trip chances may be purchased for $15 each. Auction items include vintage wines, artwork, large format wine bottles and related items of interest.

Now in its sixth year running, Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend is a community-wide celebration of good wine, good food and good friends. Wine lovers of all sorts are invited to enjoy three event-filled days of fine wine, culinary delight, celebrity chefs, wine makers, pampering packages and all of the stops Galena can possibly pull out.

Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend is a spirited way to warm the winter and add romance, whether it is for vino, gourmet cuisine or the history and charm all on its own. Wine-inspired dinners, spirit tastings, spa experiences, history tours, cooking demonstrations and shopping welcome and enchant visitors.

Lodging specials and package deals fuel the passion. From dining packages to pampering in luxurious accommodations and the warmest of hospitality, Galena's finest provide a variety of options to cater to every taste and budget.

Visit www.wineloversweekend.com for a detailed listing of extended-weekend activities, links to lodging, and an opportunity to purchase tickets online. Additional area offerings may be found with the Galena/Jo Daviess County Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.galena.org.
31 Jan 2011

American Cancer Society Discovery Shop Annual Super Sunday Sale

By Jamie Sons

The American Cancer Society's Discovery Shop in Cumberland Square invites you to bargain shop for a cause! Sunday, February 6th will be our annual super clearance sale EVERYTHING in the store will be half price.

Mark you calendars and stop in to grab all of the bargains that you can find and be back home long before the big game starts. We are clearing out the floor to make room for all of the new and beautiful donations that we have recently been receiving. With the new things that we will be putting out on the floor starting Monday, February 7th the bargains will continue long after the game is over.

The Discovery Shop is an upscale resale shop selling gently used items donated by the community and staffed by over 100 volunteers. All clothing is cleaned and ironed before it is sold and dry cleaning is donated by Burke's Dry Cleaners. Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society for cancer research, education, patient services and advocacy.

Donations are accepted anytime the shop is open and a tax receipt is always available. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 5 pm., Thursday from 10 am to 7 pm., and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.

31 Jan 2011

QCSO to unveil Midori Painted Violin Project

By Jared Johnson

Date: February 3, 2011
Time: 4 PM
Location: Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA

 

Representatives of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra and the artists who created the 14 Midori-themed painted violins will be on hand to talk about the painted violins and the upcoming Midori residency. The full collection of beautifully painted and creatively re-sculpted violins will be on display for photographers, videographers, and public viewing.

From April 13 to 17, world-renowned violinist Midori will participate in a wide range of activities tailored by the QCSO to optimize local involvement of the youth orchestra, including the Bows and Bridges Strings Festival, a Music Advocacy Luncheon with local legislators, a performance before over 6,000 students with the Quad City Youth Symphony Orchestra at their annual Symphony Day, and a performance of Beethoven's Violin Concerto at the QCSO's Masterworks season finale of April 16 & 17.
24 Jan 2011

The Moline Commercial Club is sponsoring a Shop Local Expo

By Narveen Aryaputri

First Annual

SHOP LOCAL EXPO

February 19th. 2011

From 11.00am to 5.00pm

Sponsored by The Moline Commercial Club

@ The Moline Club Ballroom

1539 Fifth Avenue

Moline. Illinois 61265

309-762-8547

www.themolinecommercialclub.com

The Elevator is located through the 513 16th. Street entrance.

The SHOP LOCAL Expo is for local Merchants, Manufactures and Farmers Business and Services of our area.

Call early to ensure a reservation for your table.

Email networking of over 5000

Entry on the Moline City Center website

Charge for a table: $ 50.00

You will get 1 table and 2 chairs

Lunch is available.

No entrance fee for visitors

24 Jan 2011

The 25th Anniversary of the Quad City Youth Conference

By Brenda Dahlstrom

To mark its 25th Anniversary the Quad City Youth Conference, welcomes MWAH! as its keynote speaker. MWAH! (Messages Which Are Hopeful!) is a 12 member group of young performing artists from the Chicago, Illinois area which combines drama, hip hop, dance, and various genres of songs written and produced by troupe members as well as cover songs. A common thread is choices and the importance of continually striving to make the right ones.

The one-hour issues oriented and audience interactive performance will be the keynote on both Monday and Tuesday, January 24-25, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. in the Mississippi River Hall at The River Center, located at 136 E. 3rd Street in Davenport. Nearly a thousand students from 28 Illinois and Iowa high schools and junior high schools are expected to attend this 2011 edition of the Quad Cities Youth Conference - high school students on Monday and junior high students on Tuesday.

Following the keynote presentation, the Quad City Youth Conference also offers students a choice of three workshop sessions. Nearly 20 different community agencies have come together to offer workshops to enhance decision-making skills necessary for living in a socially complex world. In addition to the keynote presentation, MWAH! will also be offering three workshop sessions on both Monday and Tuesday that will deal with issues that relate to teenagers in 2011.

Additional information on the MWAH! Troupe is available on its website at www.mwah.net. The troupe may be reached by phone at 630-993-0003. The Quad City Youth Conference is the only event of its kind in the Quad Cities and one of the few nationally. For 25 years, local schools and human service agencies have joined hands to plan and present the annual Quad Cities Youth Conference, an event that is focused on positively impacting area youth.

24 Jan 2011

Quad Cities Navy Week Among Navy's Top 2011 Outreach Events

By Rick Martin

The 2011 Quad Cities Navy Week, scheduled for June 16-22, is among the top events on the Navy's 2011 Calendar for America, which sets forth the service's most prominent outreach activities across the country and was officially announced today by the Chief of Naval Operations.

Navy Weeks show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy by providing an opportunity to meet Sailors face-to-face and learn about the Navy's critical mission and its broad-ranging capabilities through community engagements.

    • "Our Outreach throughout the year helps all Americans better understand the value of their Navy and the service of the men and women of our country who are Sailors. The events we support and the relationships we build with communities across the nation allow us to share the story of America's Navy in a meaningful and memorable way."

---Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations

 

The U.S. Navy conducts approximately 20 Navy Weeks each year, reaching out to communities across the country to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy. During a Navy Week celebration, the Navy concentrates a variety of outreach events in a metropolitan area for a week, sharing the Navy story with as many people as possible.

The Navy plans to include the following elements in Quad Cities Navy Week:

- Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron "Blue Angels" performances

- Sailors from the USS The Sullivans

- Navy Band musical performances

- Admirals and other senior Navy leaders, who will engage with local corporate, civic, government and education leaders

- Navy Diver demonstrations in local aquariums

- Navy simulators and other interactive displays

- Visits to area schools

- Community service projects and events with local sports franchises

Other areas that have been selected to host a 2011 Navy Week include : Tampa Bay; Austin, Texas; Mississippi; Dallas-Fort Worth; Denver; New Orleans; Philadelphia; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Chicago; Rochester, N.Y.; Detroit; Los Angeles; Fargo, N.D.; Indianapolis; Cincinnati; Omaha, Neb.; New England; Albuquerque, N.M.; El Paso, Texas; and San Antonio.

For more information on the 2011 Quad Cities Navy Week, please contact Lt. Cmdr. Pam Bou at pam.bou@navyweek.org.More detailed information on each Navy Week can be found at our website, www.navyweek.org. For high resolution photos from past Navy Week celebrations, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/navyweek/sets/.

The 2011 Navy Week season will also help commemorate the Centennial of Naval Aviation, which kicks off in 2011 and continues as a year-long celebration with a variety of commemorative events planned across the country throughout the year. For more information on the Centennial of Naval Aviation latest information, visit http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/centennial/Pages/welcome.aspx.

24 Jan 2011

National Guard Family Academies Help Servicemembers' Families

By readMedia

Four Events Help Answer Questions for Families of Returning Troops

SPRINGFIELD, IL (01/19/2011)(readMedia)-- The Illinois National Guard has made it a priority to help servicemembers when they return from a mobilization or deployment. While the Illinois National Guard continues to reach out to returning veterans with the "Tying the Yellow Ribbon" campaign, the program also focuses on families of troops who are deployed.

The Illinois Army National Guard will conduct four Reintegration Family Academies in February and March.

Although the free academy is open to any family that has a deployed servicemember in any branch of the military, the focus of these events is to reach out to families of Illinois National Guard members that have deployed or who are currently deployed. Approximately 1,000 members of the Illinois National Guard are deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Egypt.

The intent of the academy is to ensure families receive information and know the resources available to them while their Soldier is deployed.

"Reintegration is not just a program for Soldiers after a deployment. It's something his or her entire family must also undergo as everyone readjusts to changes that have happened during the course of the Soldier's deployment," said 2nd Lt. Justin Anweiler of Lincoln, reintegration program coordinator. "This is one way the Illinois National Guard is trying to help families of our deployed men and women who are sometimes fighting their own battles at home while their servicemember is fighting a war overseas."

Representatives from several different agencies will be available for family members. Some agencies attending include TRICARE (medical and dental insurance), Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, Internal Revenue Service and Veteran's Health Administration. There will also be several workshops for families to attend providing guidance and information on issues like marriage after deployment, finances, challenges troops face reuniting with their children and using college education benefits. Counselors will also be available for private consultations.

Illinois National Guard Family Academies

Date Location Time

February 5 Blackhawk Community College; 6600 34th Ave., Moline 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

February 27 Kaskaskia College; 2310 W. Fillmore, Vandalia 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

March 12 Blackhawk Community College; 26230 Black Hawk Road, Galva 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

March 13 Devry University; 18624 West Creek Drive, Tinley Park 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

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17 Jan 2011

The Great Scott Community College Talent Show

By Ruth Ann Gallagher
The Great SCC Talent Show will be Thursday, Jan. 27 from 6:15-8:15 in the Student Life Center at Scott Community College, 500 Belmont Road, Bettendorf, Iowa.  Admission is $1.00.  Join us and Celebrate Iowa Community College Day at the Great SCC Talent Show!

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