Rock Island, IL - Russell Construction was honored to be a part of a milestone event that took place on the Rock Island Arsenal. This ceremonial event was held to celebrate the completion of the first of three phases for the new First Army headquarters, located on the Rock Island Arsenal, and to commence construction on the building's entrance sign.

Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on May 20, 2010 Lieutenant General Thomas Miller, commanding officer for U.S. First Army, joined Rock Island Arsenal employees, Quad City community members, elected officials and Russell Construction employees to lay the first stones of the new First Army headquarters entrance sign. Currently headquartered at Fort Gillem, Georgia, First Army was ordered to relocate to the Rock Island Arsenal after the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). First Army is expected to be in full operation by summer 2011.

"We're going to blend in, and we're going to be a part of the team," Lt. Gen. Thomas Miller said before touring a 150,000-square-foot building that had previously been home to an accounting and finance unit. First Army is responsible for the training, readiness and mobilization of all National Guard and Army Reserve units across the United States and two U.S. territories. For more information on First Army, please visit their website at www.first.army.mil.

The construction of this project consists of unified team effort between the US Army Corps of Engineers - Louisville District; Pond: Architects, Engineers & Planners; Tetratech, Inc. and Russell Construction. As a Midwest leader in Construction Management, Design/Build and General Contracting services, projects for the Department of Defense at the Rock Island Arsenal since 2005. Other federal government clients include the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Iowa Army/Air National Guard's and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. For more information on Russell Construction, please visit their website at www.russellco.com.

Saturday, May 29, 2010
Where: City Cemetery at 1625 Rockingham Road, Davenport, Iowa
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Cost: Free
The event honors ancestors who were German American immigrants to the region over a century ago. The celebration is free and open to the public. Visitors are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs. Master of Ceremony is Mayor Bill Gluba. The program begins at 9:30 a.m. with bagpipe music by Derek Grant. Guest speaker is former Mayor Mark Schwiebert. The celebration also includes the German and American National Anthem sung by Henry Storjohann and Dale Dammann. Central High School's ROTC will present the Honor Guard. The program will end with an Volley Rifle Salute. Taps will be performed by John Adams of Davenport American Legion Post 26.  The event is sponsored by The American/Shleswig-Hostein Heritage Society; The German American Family Club of Iowa and Illinois; The German American Heritage Center; The German American National Congress (D.A.N.K.) Quad Cities Chapters; The German American Pioneer Society of Scott County, Iowa; and The Schuetzenpark Gilde.

HEALING SERVICE

WHEN: Wednesday JUNE 2, 2010

WHERE: CHRISTIAN CENTER CHURCH

2103 West Third Street

Davenport, IA

Phone: 563-322-2959

TIME: 6:30 p.m.

An evening of ministering to the hurting in our community.

Everyone welcome!

A community comes together to support Family Literacy Program

(Rock Island, IL)  With the recent influx of immigrants, many children and families are struggling to understand the new culture and language.  But thanks to many community partners coming together sharing resources, families from nine different countries speaking six different languages are learning English and nineteen community partners supporting them.

A news event highlighting the first year's success of the Lights ON for Learning Family Literacy Program is being held Thursday, May 20th at 11:00 am at the Church of Peace (1114 12th Street in Rock Island) in the Fellowship Hall.   The program began with three families in the fall and at year's end there are now over forty adult students and 25 pre-school children participating.

Attending the news conference will be Rock Island Mayor, Dennis Pauley, Rock Island Schools Superintendent, Mike Oberhaus, the former Superintendent of the Regional Office of Education, Joe Vermeire, as well as representatives from the various community partners who are the backbone of this program.  The teachers and the families involved in the program will also be available for interviews.

The program is from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays at the Church of Peace.  A typical day at the Lights ON for Learning Family Literacy program consists of English as a Second Language tutoring, lunch and activities with their children, parenting and life skills, and computer and library skills training.

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Blood Drive

The 12th Northern district of Ancient Free And Accepted Masons is hosting their annual blood drive.

Date:    05/26/2010 Time:    3:00 to 6:00 PM

Place:   Methodist Church Orion IL. (Turn left off US 150 east of Casey's Store continue to City Park on right, Methodist Church on Left)

Contact: Marvin Whittaker 309-737-9231 / MarvinWhittaker@hotmail.com

WHEN: 5-15-10

TIME: 1-4 p.m.

WHERE: Barnes & Noble at North Park Mall, 320 W. Kimberly Rd., Davenport, IA 52806

WHAT: Louise will be available to sign copies of her Christian Living book, Longing for Wholeness.

When you look in the mirror, who do you see–what do you see? Are you living the desires of your heart? Do you long to awaken with a joy and feel so alive? Longing For Wholeness is a compassionate and conclusive work written in a fresh style. You will stay engaged as Linda Louise fits the bits and pieces of her life together to fill the emptiness that yearns for worth and loving acceptance. In her compelling story, she reveals the dynamics of a life riddled with shame and contempt. Inside this book, Linda shares her experiences to inspire hope and how she found the freedom to express who she believes she was born to be. You will never question the hope that fills the words written here.

For more information, contact Terry Cordingley at 888-361-9473 or terry@tatepublishing.com

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You are invited to: "Put a Smile on a Child"

Tuesday, May 25, 2010, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Augustana College PepsiCo Center
1025 30th Street, Rock Island

Fun children's activities and • Free dinner!

Community agencies with useful information!

Bring your youth group, school group, neighborhood, friends and family.
All activities and food are free!

For more information call:
Churches United, 309/786-6494

Asian Carp are a critical issue to the ecology of native species.  They have migrated from the Mississippi River to the Illinois River and now threaten Lake Michigan.  In the news on Mon, April 26, the state of Michigan's request to shut down major shipping locks in the Chicago area that may allow the fish to migrate into Lake Michigan was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court. Asian carp can grow as large as 4 feet long and weigh 100 pounds.   Kelly Baerwaldt of the Army Corps of Engineers will lead a Channel Cat Talk to teach people how to identify the species, explain why they are dangerous to native organisms, and discuss what is being done to prevent their spread.  Register for this June 1 & 3 talk [9-10:45 a.m.] at www.riveraction.org.

Registration for the Explore the River summer education series is online as of today.  Explore the River consists of Channel Cat Talks and Riverine
Walks that are fun and educational for all ages.  Sessions are held from Jun 1 - Aug 28.

Many other new, fun, and informative classes that are taught by professionals and historians will be held rain or shine and require preregistration. 

* Channel Cat Talks aboard the water taxi are from 9-10:45 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; departing from Moline landing [2501 East River Drive] next to the Celebration Belle. Seating is limited and tours cost $12.

* Riverine Walks meet at various locations from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday evenings or 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday mornings and cost $5.  They are free for RA members - registration required.

To register or for more information, call (563) 322-2969; or visit
www.riveraction.org. River Action Inc., the non-profit group dedicated to fostering the
environmental, economic and cultural vitality of the Mississippi and its riverfront in the Quad Cities

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The Thurgood Marshall Learning Center Green Team and the Rock Island High School Studen Council are partnering in a project to bring clean water and toilets to Goitab Kalyet Primary School int he Great Rift Valley of Kenya.  The partnership is sponsored by Water for Live Foundation to make an impact on the 1.1 billion people that lack access to safe drinking water around the globe.

The two groups of students will be holding a joint Walk for Water on Saturday, May 1 at the Rock Island High School stadium from 11am until Noon. Students with sponsors will be walking three miles to represent the average walk that young girls and women make each day in the developing world to carry water to their families.  The students are hoping to reduce the 1.4 million deaths that occur yearly due to diarrhea.

Anyone withing to participate or sponsor a walker can contact Linda Golden at 309-793-5924 or Sheila Guse at 309-793-5950.

120 volunteers will join hands to assemble 300 "America Cares" bags will be donated to veterans on Saturday.

 

At least 120 volunteers from area organizations and businesses are collaborating to assemble 300 gift bags to distribute to veterans and their children at the Iowa City VA Hospital. The project will take place on Join Hands Day, a national day of service scheduled for Saturday, May 1.
The bags for veterans will include phone cards, snacks and personal care items. Children's bags will include stuffed animals, games, book and snacks to provide a diversion for children and grandchildren of veterans at the hospital.
Your coverage of the local impact of Join Hands Day is invited and appreciated. This project will offer visual and interview opportunities.
What: At least 120 volunteers will assemble 300 "America Cares" bags to be delivered to veterans and their children at the VA Hospital in Iowa City.
Participants:
Modern Woodmen of America employees, Modern Woodmen camp (local chapter) and youth service club members, AmeriCorps volunteers, Quad Cities River Bandits staff, Disabled Veterans of America and Auxiliary members
When: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Where: Modern Woodmen Park, Davenport
Modern Woodmen of America sponsors Join Hands Day, along with other fraternal benefit societies. Join Hands Day is the only national day of service designed to bring youths and adults together to plan and implement service projects in their communities. As the generations work side by side, they learn more about each other, sparking a new level of understanding and respect.
Throughout the Quad Cities, more than 2,000 area youths and adults are teaming up to complete 50 volunteer projects. Locally, Modern Woodmen sponsors these local initiatives and gives each project a $50 grant to offset project expenses.
Founded in 1883, Modern Woodmen of America touches lives and secures futures. The fraternal benefit society offers financial services and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States.
For more information about local Join Hands Day projects, contact Kim Woodward at 309-793-5660, or visit modern-woodmen.org.

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