Give blood with the American Red Cross and help maintain the summer blood supply

PEORIA, Ill. (June 2, 2014) – The American Red Cross encourages eligible blood donors to make and keep donation appointments to maintain the summer blood supply and help prevent a shortage. Donors of all blood types are currently needed, especially those with type O negative, B negative and A negative.

While the need for blood remains constant during the summer, donations drop. Between June and August, on average, two fewer donors give blood at each Red Cross blood drive than what hospitals need. This seasonal decline could be overcome if just two additional donors - above what is expected - give blood at each Red Cross blood drive this summer.

Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood. Recently, a patient needed 79 blood products after injuries sustained during a car accident. Thanks to blood donors who gave in the days and weeks prior, blood products were readily available for this patient and thousands of others at approximately 2,700 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country supported by the Red Cross.

This summer, there are 100 chances to give hope with the Red Cross by giving blood. Visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to learn more and make an appointment.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Carroll County

June 19 from 1-6 p.m. at Milledgeville Men's Club, 204 S. Main Ave. in Milledgeville, Ill.

June 20 from 12-6 p.m. at United Methodist Church, 405 E. Locust in Lanark, Ill.

June 27 from 12-5 p.m. at Mt. Carroll Community Building, 101 N. Main in Mount Carroll, Ill.

Clinton County

June 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at LyondellBasell, 3400 Anamosa Road in Clinton, Iowa

June 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Skyline Center, 2600 N. 4th St. in Clinton, Iowa

June 22 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Assumption Catholic Church, 147 Broadway St. in Charlotte, Iowa

Henry County

June 17 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Kewanee OSF Saint Luke Medical Center, 1051 W. South St. in Kewanee, Ill.

June 18 from 2-6 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1001 9th St. in Orion, Ill.

Lee County

June 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, 403 E. First St. in Dixon, Ill.

June 30 from 3-6:30 p.m. at Amboy Community Building, 280 W. Wasson Road in Amboy, Ill.

Mercer County

June 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at VFW Hall, 106 SW 3rd Ave. in Aledo, Ill.

Whiteside County

June 18 from 2-6 p.m. at American Red Cross, 112 W. Second St. in Rock Falls, Ill.

June 21 from 5:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. at CGH Medical Center, 100 E. LeFevre Road in Sterling, Ill.

June 24 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Robert Fulton Community Center, 912 4th St. in Fulton, Ill.

June 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at American Red Cross, 112 W. Second St. in Rock Falls, Ill.

June 26 from 4-7 p.m. at American Red Cross, 112 W. Second St. in Rock Falls, Ill.

June 27 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rock Falls Rehabilitation and Healthcare, 430 Martin Road in Rock Falls, Ill.

How to donate blood

Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. The Red Cross is supported in part through generous financial donations from the United Way. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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MOUNT CARROLL, IL -- Timber Lake Playhouse and Great River Outreach are teaming up during the playhouse's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat June 5-15 to host drive for coats, hats, gloves and galoshes to benefit kids and parents in region who have a little less. The partnership is the first in a summer long effort to celebrate volunteer and non-profit organizations in the region whose missions "live the story" of each theatre production at the playhouse.

Great River Outreach provides a wide range of services to individuals and families in need including emergency housing, clothing, warm meals, emergency food, counseling services and career opportunities. They have served over 46,000 free meals in Savanna and Mount Carroll. Through a partnership with Head Start, Great River Outreach will distribute all coats and accessories donated at TLP to kids and parents in need around the region. Remaining coats will be donated to Neat Repeats, a Savanna resale shop that funds outreach services, and provides free clothing and furniture to families in crisis.

TLP's 53rd Season opens with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (June 5-15). Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical for the whole family has become a massive international hit everywhere it plays. It tells the biblical story of Joseph's coat of many colors with song and dance that's fun for all ages. Executive Director James Beaudry directs and choreographs the production.

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat takes a simple story and tells it in a huge, spectacular way. Really great storytelling has the power to make us think, feel, and live better. Great River Outreach is an organization that lives a great story. We are proud to help support their mission, and at the same time, give our audiences an opportunity to make our corner of the world a little brighter," said Beaudry.

"The idea came to us last year, after our Do Something Spectacular campaign--which provided creative opportunities for our audiences--was such a success. We decided to raise the bar and turn those activities into a greater good. We have additional projects coming up throughout the summer with other organizations, including Happy Tails from Rock Falls and the Mount Carroll Rotary."

Great River Outreach is specifically seeking gently worn coats, hats, gloves and galoshes in sizes 2T through adult small. Anyone donating at a performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will receive free popcorn at the show. Timber Lake Playhouse popcorn is courtesy of Tee Lee Popcorn in Shannon, Illinois. Donations may also be made during regular box office hours.

For tickets to Joseph ..., call the box office at 815-244-2035 or visit them at 8215 Black Oak Rd. in Mount Carroll. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org.

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Sponsored by US Bank

What: Ballet Under the Stars

Who: Ballet Quad Cities

Where: Lincoln Park Classic Theatre

11th Ave & 38th St Rock Island, IL

When: June 6th, 7th, & 8th at 8:00pm

Ticket Prices: No Admission Charged!

Three evenings of no admission charged ballet performances - a perfect time to introduce your family to our family of dancers at Ballet Quad Cities! Bring a picnic, chairs, and a blanket and spend an evening under the stars at Rock Island's lovely Lincoln Park.

The program will bring back favorite selections from this past season including a company favorite "Making Waves" and the Pas de Deux from Carmen. Also, as a special treat, the students from Ballet Quad Cities School of Dance will perform "Peter and the Wolf". It's sure to be a crowd pleaser!

There will also be light refreshments available to purchase. All the proceeds will support our award winning Bullying Prevention Program.

For more information, please call 309-786-3779 or visit www.balletquadcities.com

Ten Winners Announced

BETTENDORF - A total of $10,000 was given to area students to help pay for their college costs as part of the Ascentra Credit Union Scholarship Competition.  There were five $1,000 scholarships available for high school students planning to enter college.  The other five $1,000 scholarships were for members age 19 or over, considered non-traditional or continuing education students. This year Ascentra expanded the number of scholarship recipients from two to ten to better serve our growing membership.

The high school scholarship winners include :

·        Jacob Logan, Bettendorf, Iowa

·        Madison Temperly, Eldridge, Iowa

·        Caitlin Thom, Bettendorf, Iowa

·        Lauren Pittman, Clinton, Iowa

·        Taylor Trumbo, Davenport, Iowa

The non-traditional or continuing education winners include :

·        Micaela Terronez, East Moline, Illinois

·        Hailey Oepping, Muscatine, Iowa

·        Maddison Theisen, LeClaire, Iowa

·        Jessica Tucker, Cleveland, Illinois

·        Darcey Jansen, Eldridge, Iowa

Photos and more information about the winners can be found at www.ascentra.org.  All entries are judged on their essay, resume, awards, extracurricular activities, volunteer services and work experience.  The competition is announced every October with the deadline in March of the following year. Official rules may be picked up at any of our branches or found online at www.ascentra.org/scholarships.

Awarding a total of $10,000 in scholarships is another way Ascentra Credit Union recognizes that financial planning and education is essential to lifetime success for our members and community.

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