• Amid the festivities and continuing-education sessions, Palmer College of Chiropractic announced a challenge gift and two leadership gifts totaling more than $3 million for its "Building the Future Fountainhead" capital campaign during Palmer Homecoming 2005, August 11 through 13. To assist Palmer College in completing its $35-million capital campaign by December 31, 2006, Palmer alumni Maurice Pisciottano and Laurel Pisciottano of Pennsylvania have issued a challenge to fellow donors as a campaign-completion strategy. If Palmer is successful in raising $6 million, the couple will donate $3 million for the completion of the campaign. The college's five-year campaign has raised nearly $27 million to date. In addition to the Pisciottano pledge, two others came forward with leadership gifts of their own. Palmer Board of Trustees Chairperson Vickie Palmer and Trustee Harley Gilthvedt and his wife, Viola, of Auburn, Washington, announced individual donations totaling $300,000 for the purchase of digital radiology equipment for the Chiropractic Learning Resource Center. The Palmer Student Council also donated $10,000 to the capital campaign, and the class of October 2003 donated $6,300.
• Quad City Rotaract (Rotary in Action) is a service organization with a membership from the greater Quad Cities area. The focus is on activities and events that benefit the local community through organized volunteer events. Past events and activities include : sorting food at River Bend Food Bank; serving lunch at John Lewis Community Services; raising more than $5,000 to help build a Habitat for Humanity home in Rock Island; and acting as volunteers for many local events including the Quad City Air Show, Quad City Triathlon, and Race for the Cure. Rotaract currently has openings on its executive board for all positions. Anyone is eligible for board positions, even those new to Rotaract. For more information, contact Amy Van Hook at rotaract_qc@hotmail.com.
• Ethanol use is reaching record levels in Iowa. In June, E10 - a blend of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline - held a record 77.6-percent market share at Iowa gas stations. Iowa motorists purchased 107 million gallons of E10 in June, also a record high. Use of ethanol has grown significantly over the years. E10's market share has more than doubled from 29 percent in 1986 to 66 percent last year. In 1986, 385 million gallons of E10 were sold compared to 1.1 billion in 2004. Iowa is top-producing ethanol state in the country, with capacity soon reaching 1.335 billion gallons per year. Currently Iowa is home to 16 ethanol plants, with 10 more in the construction or planning phase.
• Ghostlight Theatre has commissioned Davenport native Neil Kloppenborg to be the resident illustrator for the 2005-6 Season. As part of a new initiative launched this season called Crossover Connections, Kloppenborg will create the artwork to be seen on posters, the season brochure, and on other Ghostlight promotional materials. Kloppenborg's residency with Ghostlight is being underwritten in part by the Figge Foundation. Look for the first in the series of Kloppenborg originals beginning soon, when posters for Ghostlight Theatre's season opener, Noises Off, hit the streets. The series will continue with Ghostlight Children's Theatre's production of James & the Giant Peach in February, Misery in March, and Assassins in July. For more information, take a look at (http://www.ghostlighttheatre.org).
• The Iowa Criminal & Juvenile Justice Planning Agency is receiving a $246,000 Formula Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to support juvenile-justice-system improvements, as well as delinquency-prevention and -intervention efforts. The funds may be used for improvement of juvenile-justice-system operations, policies, and procedures, including establishing graduated sanctions, treatment programs, and aftercare. Additionally, the funding provides for programs that support prevention of substance abuse by juveniles, serious and violent crimes by juveniles, juvenile gang involvement, and delinquent acts.
• Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has signed legislation supported by the Transportation for Illinois Coalition and the Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce. House Bill 3770, sponsored by Representative Dan Beiser (D-Alton) and Senator Mike Jacobs (D-East Moline), requires all funds realized from efficiency programs within the Illinois Department of Transportation to be deposited into the state's road fund, instead of the Central Management Services revolving fund. This will help protect transportation dollars, and make sure they are used for transportation purposes. The law is Public Act 94-0139.
• The University of Iowa's Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a $2.2-million grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The center is receiving these funds, which will go to support infrastructure and equipment needs, as part of its continuing designation as a National Cancer Institute Cancer Center. The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center is currently engaged in 170 different research projects, ranging from testing new cancer treatments to cancer-prevention activities.
• The Doris & Victor Day Foundation reports that foundation board members gave serious consideration to the more than 50 grants that were part of the $866,793 allocated as charitable giving in the 2005 cycle. Children at the Rainbow Child Development Center in Rock Island will have a shelter from summer sun. A major grant ($40,000) will complete the financing package to assure that the Youthbuild program will continue to educate and train youth. More than $123,000 is set aside for various programs in the Rock Island/Milan school district, including $83,500 for the Rock Island Primary Academy and $30,000 to provide a truant officer to increase attendance. The Aldridge Early Child Learning Center was awarded a $50,000 grant to kick off a campaign to liquidate a debt incurred with the construction of its new building. A commitment to assist part-time students attending the Quad Cities' Western Illinois University campus continues with a $20,000 grant. The foundation continued its assistance to people in need of emergency assistance with a $75,000 grant to the Supplemental Emergency Assistance Program. St. Joseph Worker House Association will receive a loan of $25,000 to assist in the renovation of a fire-damaged house that will be sold to a low-income family. Several major areas of interest and need are being explored for possible investment, and $150,000 has been reserved to fund programs in those areas. Grants are awarded yearly with applications due on May 1. More information about the foundation and the awarded grants can be found at (http://www.dayfoundation.org).
• Quad City Rotaract (Rotary in Action) is a service organization with a membership from the greater Quad Cities area. The focus is on activities and events that benefit the local community through organized volunteer events. Past events and activities include : sorting food at River Bend Food Bank; serving lunch at John Lewis Community Services; raising more than $5,000 to help build a Habitat for Humanity home in Rock Island; and acting as volunteers for many local events including the Quad City Air Show, Quad City Triathlon, and Race for the Cure. Rotaract currently has openings on its executive board for all positions. Anyone is eligible for board positions, even those new to Rotaract. For more information, contact Amy Van Hook at rotaract_qc@hotmail.com.
• Ethanol use is reaching record levels in Iowa. In June, E10 - a blend of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline - held a record 77.6-percent market share at Iowa gas stations. Iowa motorists purchased 107 million gallons of E10 in June, also a record high. Use of ethanol has grown significantly over the years. E10's market share has more than doubled from 29 percent in 1986 to 66 percent last year. In 1986, 385 million gallons of E10 were sold compared to 1.1 billion in 2004. Iowa is top-producing ethanol state in the country, with capacity soon reaching 1.335 billion gallons per year. Currently Iowa is home to 16 ethanol plants, with 10 more in the construction or planning phase.
• Ghostlight Theatre has commissioned Davenport native Neil Kloppenborg to be the resident illustrator for the 2005-6 Season. As part of a new initiative launched this season called Crossover Connections, Kloppenborg will create the artwork to be seen on posters, the season brochure, and on other Ghostlight promotional materials. Kloppenborg's residency with Ghostlight is being underwritten in part by the Figge Foundation. Look for the first in the series of Kloppenborg originals beginning soon, when posters for Ghostlight Theatre's season opener, Noises Off, hit the streets. The series will continue with Ghostlight Children's Theatre's production of James & the Giant Peach in February, Misery in March, and Assassins in July. For more information, take a look at (http://www.ghostlighttheatre.org).
• The Iowa Criminal & Juvenile Justice Planning Agency is receiving a $246,000 Formula Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to support juvenile-justice-system improvements, as well as delinquency-prevention and -intervention efforts. The funds may be used for improvement of juvenile-justice-system operations, policies, and procedures, including establishing graduated sanctions, treatment programs, and aftercare. Additionally, the funding provides for programs that support prevention of substance abuse by juveniles, serious and violent crimes by juveniles, juvenile gang involvement, and delinquent acts.
• Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has signed legislation supported by the Transportation for Illinois Coalition and the Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce. House Bill 3770, sponsored by Representative Dan Beiser (D-Alton) and Senator Mike Jacobs (D-East Moline), requires all funds realized from efficiency programs within the Illinois Department of Transportation to be deposited into the state's road fund, instead of the Central Management Services revolving fund. This will help protect transportation dollars, and make sure they are used for transportation purposes. The law is Public Act 94-0139.
• The University of Iowa's Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a $2.2-million grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The center is receiving these funds, which will go to support infrastructure and equipment needs, as part of its continuing designation as a National Cancer Institute Cancer Center. The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center is currently engaged in 170 different research projects, ranging from testing new cancer treatments to cancer-prevention activities.
• The Doris & Victor Day Foundation reports that foundation board members gave serious consideration to the more than 50 grants that were part of the $866,793 allocated as charitable giving in the 2005 cycle. Children at the Rainbow Child Development Center in Rock Island will have a shelter from summer sun. A major grant ($40,000) will complete the financing package to assure that the Youthbuild program will continue to educate and train youth. More than $123,000 is set aside for various programs in the Rock Island/Milan school district, including $83,500 for the Rock Island Primary Academy and $30,000 to provide a truant officer to increase attendance. The Aldridge Early Child Learning Center was awarded a $50,000 grant to kick off a campaign to liquidate a debt incurred with the construction of its new building. A commitment to assist part-time students attending the Quad Cities' Western Illinois University campus continues with a $20,000 grant. The foundation continued its assistance to people in need of emergency assistance with a $75,000 grant to the Supplemental Emergency Assistance Program. St. Joseph Worker House Association will receive a loan of $25,000 to assist in the renovation of a fire-damaged house that will be sold to a low-income family. Several major areas of interest and need are being explored for possible investment, and $150,000 has been reserved to fund programs in those areas. Grants are awarded yearly with applications due on May 1. More information about the foundation and the awarded grants can be found at (http://www.dayfoundation.org).
