Mayor Rodger Holm has proclaimed October 24, 2011, UN Day in Clinton, Iowa. He will read the proclamation and preside at the raising of the UN flag on the city's memorial flagpole on Monday morning, October 24, at 11:00 am.

"We hope everyone who is able will join us at the Memorial Flagpole (6^th Avenue South and the Riverfront) to commemorate the international organization which offers us the best opportunity to address the common good of all peoples," said Janice Cebula OSF, President of the Sisters of St. Francis, who have organized the local observance since 1989.

"Bringing to LIFE the Millennium Development Goals" is the theme of this year's commemoration

The Goals (MDGs) are a set of 8 global objectives aimed at improving the lives of the world's poorest people. The Goals, which cover a range of human development issues from providing universal primary education to halting the spread of HIV, were adopted at the 2000 UN Millennium Summit by 189 nations and have spurred unprecedented global efforts to help the world's poor.

The MDGs provide the entire United Nations System, including the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with a blueprint to work coherently together towards a common goal to reduce poverty and improve lives. They set time bound targets, by which progress in reducing poverty, homelessness and hunger; combating HIV AIDs and other diseases; promoting gender equality, maternal and child health, education and environmental sustainability; and encouraging global partnerships for development can be measured. They also embody basic human rights ? the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter and security.

The MDGs, which are slated to be met by 2015, have been the focus of UN Day celebrations worldwide for ten years: one means by which UN Associations around the world strive to focus public attention on the needs addressed in the MDGs. The Clinton Franciscans sit on the Board of the Iowa Division on the UN Association-USA and are founding members of the Franciscan presence at the UN, Franciscans International.

Annually Clinton's Mayors have come to the riverfront to preside, often in the rain and cold, standing together with thousands of mayors and other government leaders around the world in recognizing the significance of the U.N. Charter which went into effect on October 24, 1945.

In 1947, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a U.S.-sponsored resolution declaring October 24th United Nations Day, to be commemorated annually by all member-states of the United Nations. In the United States, each President, beginning with Harry Truman, has issued a proclamation asking citizens to observe U.N. Day and to reflect upon the importance of the United Nations to our national interest, as well as to each American individually.

For more information on the UN Day commemoration, call Sisters of St. Francis, 563-242-7611 or visit www.clintonfranciscans.com. #######

CUTLINE: the UN Flag flies along with the US, IOWA and MIA flags on Clinton's Riverfront Memorial following last year's UN Day ceremony.

SIDE BAR:

The United States and the MDGS, a report by InterAction, outlines three areas in which major reforms are necessary: official development assistance, trade, and debt relief. The United States has made some progress in each of these categories, yet more work remains to be done.

The U.S. is the largest single provider of official development assistance in terms of total dollars, but U.S. aid lags behind that of many Western European nations as a percentage of gross national income. American assistance totals 0.22% of GNI, far below both the 0.47% average of major donor countries and the UN's target rate of 0.7%. Moreover, over two-thirds of U.S. aid goes to middle-income and high-income countries such as Israel, and many of the world's poorest nations are not among top recipients of U.S. aid. Non-governmental aid, including remittances and foreign direct investment, similarly favors middle-income countries over the world's most impoverished.

U.S. trade promises, meanwhile, offer a brighter future for the poor ? but only if the U.S. lives up to its guarantees. Federal lawmaking and exceptions to trade rules have frequently collapsed progressive trade reforms. Current legislation in the US Congress threatens US contributions to relieving international poverty by eliminating US payment of its UN dues and thus removing the US from the international consultative body.

Mark your calendars for November 12th, if you haven't already, because GIRS Fall Fest 2011 is only ONE MONTH AWAY!

Some highlight's of the event:

§    Nationally renowned speakers Jake Adams, editor of reefbuilders.com and Randy Reed, co-founder of Reed Mariculture Inc.
§    A TON of awesome, high value raffle items, such as two Vitrea aquariums, one with a MSRP of over 3k!  Tickets to Shedd Aquarium, gift certificates to
Rogger's Food & Aqua Medic, Portal viewer, Seachem salt, JBJ 28g nano, RO unit and MORE!
§    A dozen + commercial vendors
§    A dozen non-commercial/hobbyist sellers
§    An easy drive-held just minutes north of the Quad Cities in Eldridge, IA
§    Affordable!  Admission is just $10 and GIRS members receive 10 raffle tickets!

This is going to be the biggest and best GIRS Fall Fest EVER!

If you've been thinking about renting a table to sell at the event, all vendor space is currently spoken for.  Contact mthomp at GIRS if you would like to be notified of any cancellations.

Also, volunteers are still needed for after Fall Fest for tank tear downs and clean-up.  This is vital to the success of the event, so if you can stick around to help, please contact mthomp at GIRS for details and to volunteer.

For more event info., visit: http://fests.greateriowareefsociety.org/

WHEN: 10-22-11

TIME: 11 a.m.

WHERE: West Kimberly Market, Fall Fun Day, 4004 W. Kimberly Rd., Davenport, IA 52806

WHAT: Dorris, a resident of Davenport, IA, will be available to sign copies of his book, Life Is Too Short; Life Is What We Make It.

Fear not, for in Life Is Too Short: Life Is What We Make It, author David Dorris shows you how to approach life's problems and that making the right choices is easier than you think. Life is like a baseball game where the pitcher is constantly throwing you curveballs. As this is the case, do you want to simply be a spectator, or do you want to get in the game and face life head-on? Although it may sound simple sometimes, life is not an easy game to play. There are many challenges to overcome and many choices you have to make. None of you have a choice as to how you come into the world; however, you do have a choice as to the kind of life you live. Follow David in Life Is Too Short: Life Is What We Make It, and find out for yourself how you too can knock life's curveballs out of the park.

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What is a bee garden?  How do I make one?  Why would I want to make one?  Two Rivermont seniors would like to answer these questions for you (and for children throughout the Quad City community!) - and they'd like to do it with a loveable bee named Buzzie!  Pavane Gorrepati and Ramya Prabhu, seniors at Rivermont Collegiate, are presenters at the 2011 David R. Collins Children's Literature Festival, to be held October 25th at the River Center. Pavane and Ramya are the author and illustrator of A Buzzie Bee Tale, a picture book about Buzzie Bee, his friend Lily Lilliput, and their efforts to help Buzzie Bee's friends and family, whose environment has been affected by climate change.

Pavane and Ramya are dedicated, passionate students balancing a rigorous academic class load with a variety of extracurricular pursuits.  Pavane, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Krishnarao Gorrepati of Davenport, founded the Rivermont Environmental Club, has earned the title of "Eco-Ambassador" from the Weather Channel, and was awarded the President's Environmental Youth Award.  Pavane was recently named a Commended Student in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program and spent the summer doing research in China on a 2-month World Food Prize Borlaug-Ruan International Internship.  Ramya, daughter of Dr. & Mrs. N.V. Rama Prabhu of Moline, serves as secretary and treasurer of the Rivermont Environmental Club and is a member of the National Honor Society and Student Council.  In addition, Ramya is a gifted artist and accomplished violinist.

Given the variety of other pursuits you both have, what inspired you to add another project to your plate with A Buzzie Bee Tale? Pavane, an avid proponent for the environment, feels that education is one of the most important aspects of environmental conservation, particularly at a young age.  Her goal was to start with educating children in her own community and grow from there.  Inspiration for character and setting illustrations came to life for Ramya as she read Pavane's story.

What are some favorite reactions to the book? Pavane knew she had worked with the right illustrator when one child decided they wanted Buzzie Bee as their friend!  Another favorite reaction, of course, is when children decide they want to build their own bee garden after reading the story.

How did you get started writing and illustrating? Pavane remembers writing books and sharing them with her class as early as second grade.  Ramya collaborated with fellow Rivermont student Christopher Mbakwe (Class of 2011) on illustrations for the 2011 comic-book-themed yearbook.  Her illustrations are also used in media for several groups she's involved in, including Rivermont's Student Council, National Honor Society, and Environmental Club.

What advice do you have for other students interested in writing and illustrating? Pavane recommends young writers pick their passion, because it will truly shine through in their pages.  Ramya urges illustrators to try out different styles and move beyond their comfort zone - not always stick with what they've done before - she herself is now doing just that!

What will you be doing at The David R. Collins Children's Literature Festival later this month? Pavane and Ramya will be explaining to students their writing, illustrating, and publishing process for A Buzzie Bee Tale, as well as reading parts of the book aloud.

 

Where can A Buzzie Bee Tale be purchased? The book is available for sale at www.lulu.com and copies will be available for sale at the festival.  In addition, Pavane and Ramya are in the process of getting the book for sale on Amazon.com.

The David R. Collins Children's Literature Festival, presented by the Midwest Writing Center and the Davenport Public Library, will feature Newbery Award winner Clare Vanderpool, author of Moon Over Manifest, as well as a variety of other exciting authors and illustrators.  The festival is named after its founder, a beloved author and Moline teacher who passed away in 2001.  David founded the festival in 1978 to encourage future generations of readers and writers by exposing them to the authors and illustrators behind the books they read.

Rivermont Collegiate, located in Bettendorf, is the Quad Cities' only private, independent, nonsectarian college prep school for students in preschool through 12th grade.

For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate, contact Brittany Marietta at (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or marietta@rvmt.org and visit us on the web at www.rvmt.org!

For additional information on the David R. Collins Children's Literature Festival, visit www.midwestwritingcenter.org.

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