Davenport, IA, May 20th, 2010:  Effective May 20th, all three Davenport Public Golf Courses will be rolling back greens  fees a decade!  The special will only last until June 30th, so reserve your tees times today at Emeis Golf Course, Duck  Creek Golf Course, or Red Hawk Golf & Learning Center!

For questions regarding event, please contact 563-326-7812 or www.golfdavenport.com

May is National Bike Month and during this time I encourage Iowans to explore, exercise, enjoy the weather and take advantage of all benefits of riding your bike.  As the thousands of Iowans who participate in RAGBRAI every year already know, cycling can be extremely rewarding.

Since 1956, May has been recognized as National Bike Month.  And during this month we also recognize Bike to Work Week.  According to The League of American Bicyclists, the national organization for cyclists, more than half of the U.S. population lives within five miles of their workplace.  Unfortunately, many Americans are deterred from commuting by bike because they are not aware of all of the benefits - and the benefits of biking are many.

Not only is biking an enjoyable and efficient mode of transportation, but it can also be an important part of a healthier lifestyle.  In fact, employees who are more active tend to be more alert, take fewer sick days and are often more productive.

Children are also encouraged to join along in the excitement and fun of bike riding.  Introducing a bike routine in a child's daily activities has shown to boost morale and inspire healthy living.  Lack of physical inactivity is one large factor contributing to the growing epidemic of childhood obesity in the United States and biking to school or with friends and family can help reverse this dangerous trend.

Biking to work and school can also have a positive impact on our environment and the air we breathe.  It is efficient, economical and ecological - helping to reduce your carbon footprint and relieve traffic congestion while also saving you money on gas.  Automobiles are the largest source of air pollution in the United States and according to the League of American Bicyclists, on short auto trips, an average car would emit 3.6 pounds of pollutants into the atmosphere for every mile of the trip, while a bike has zero emissions.

In order for Americans to make the decision to leave their car at home and bike instead, it is important that our streets, intersections and trails are designed to be easy and safe to use.  As it is, Iowa leads the nation in Rail to Trail conversions and has over 1,200 miles of extensive, interconnected multi-use trails - but there is even more we can do.  That is why I introduced the Complete Streets Act, which promotes the design of streets that are safe for all that use them.  And in the wellness portion of the health reform bill that was signed into law earlier this year, we included community transformation grants to encourage healthier living and create safe spaces to exercise and get outdoors.  When people have access, the possibilities for improving healthy living are endless.

For more biking tips, a step-by-step guide on how to organize a bike to work event in your area, or safety tips, please visit www.bikeleague.org.  For a list of bike trails in Iowa please visit www.bikeiowa.com.

###

DES MOINES, IA (05/18/2010)(readMedia)-- Summer is finally here and, with Memorial Day around the corner, now is the perfect time to start the summer off right with a worry-free weekend in the great outdoors. The Iowa State Fair Campgrounds has plenty of space available through mid-July with country comforts alongside big city style and excitement.

Ranked among the most beautiful in the Midwest, the 160-acre Iowa State Fair Campgrounds are home to century-old trees, woodland flora and small wildlife. The Campgrounds houses over 1800 sites fully equipped with water and electrical hookups, 600 sites with sewers, and three large bathhouses outfitted with clean showers, toilets and sinks.

In addition to the excellent facilities, the Campgrounds offers 24-hour security and affordable rates: $23 per night for sites equipped with water, electricity and sewer; $20 per night for sites equipped with water and electricity; and $18 per night for sites without utilities.

Reservations are suggested and can be made by calling the Iowa State Fair Campgrounds office at 515/262-3111 x284. Campers without reservations are welcome as well. Enter through one of the Fairgrounds' main entrances off East University Avenue or East 30th Street and follow the signs into the Campgrounds.

The Iowa State Fair Campgrounds are easy to find and conveniently located just off Interstates 80 and 35. Just minutes from Des Moines-area attractions like Adventureland Park, Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, the East Village and endless dining and shopping options, the Iowa State Fair Campgrounds are the perfect place to enjoy the comforts of home and the excitement of the city at a manageable cost.

The Iowa State Fair is set for "Non Stop Fun" August 12-22, 2010. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit iowastatefair.org.

* * *

Running 13.1 Miles for Charity

Davenport, Iowa (May 11, 2010) - Local student and resident Holly Scaro will be putting her body to the test when she tackles the 13.1 mile Chicago Half Marathon for the first time on September 12, 2010 for a local Quad Cities charity, Non-Profit Chiropractic Organization (NPCO).

Scaro has a personal story for running the Chicago Half Marathon. Her aunt recently passed away from cancer, so this will be on her mind as she runs her race. "She will be the person I'm thinking about as I keep on pushing to the finish line," she explains. "Cancer has been a great challenge for the women in my family, and doing the Chicago Half Marathon is a great way for me to encourage myself and the rest of my family to be healthy."

As a first time runner, Scaro is excited to finish something that she has never done before. "I'm glad that I can run and support chiropractic healthcare, which is something I'm very passionate about," she said. Scaro is currently in her 5th trimester at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa pursuing her Doctor of Chiropractic degree.

Holly will be joining doctors, students, patients and supporters of chiropractic from around the country that will all be "Running with a Vision for a Healthier Tomorrow" this fall for Non-Profit Chiropractic Organization (NPCO). All money raised will go towards opening up new non-profit clinics that provide chiropractic healthcare in third-world countries. This year NPCO has chosen to open an eco-friendly, sustainable clinic in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

To find out more about Holly's upcoming run or register as a runner or supporter, please visit her personal fundraising website at www.active.com/donate/NPCOMar/HScaro. She has set a fundraising goal of $1,000 to reach within the next few months. No matter how much you can give, she encourages anyone and everyone to donate to her cause of providing a healthier tomorrow for others.

Holly is the May Featured Runner for Team NPCO. Please visit www.NPCO.org to read her complete Runner Profile or to find out more information about NPCO and Team NPCO for Chiropractic.

###

Prepare for Floatzilla - Find it! Loan it! Register it!

If you haven't already heard, something big is coming to the Quad Cities, and it's called FLOATZILLA! Now is the time to prepare for Floatzilla and help put the Quad Cities on the map by breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest canoe and kayak raft!

Do you need a boat? Or maybe have one or more kayaks and/or canoes in storage?  In order to break the record, we need every kayak and canoe (only hard shells, no inflatables) in the Quad Cities - so take inventory and do one of the following as soon as you can:

· Find it -Want to find yourself a boat? Or get rid of the one you have? Or swap it for another model? Then bring yourself and your boat to the River Action Canoe/Kayak/Bike Swap on Saturday, May 1, 2010 from 9am - noon at the Credit Island Lodge, Davenport, located at the end of Credit Island Road. The swap will allow people to sell, purchase or swap canoes and kayaks (and bicycles). If you plan to bring a boat for sale or swap let us know by calling the River Action office at 563-322-2969. Just showing up is okay too!

· Loan it - You have a boat, but are unable to participate? Why not loan it to someone you know who would like to participate, but doesn't have a boat? Don't know anyone like that? Loan it to River Action and they will pair available boats with able bodied record breakers! Call them at 563-322-2969 or e-mail riveraction@riveraction.org

· Register it - If you have a boat and plan to participate in Floatzilla, please register now at www.floatzilla.org or call the River Action office at 563-322-2969.

Floatzilla is an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest canoe and kayak raft scheduled for August 21, 2010 at Sunset Park in Rock Island, Illinois. Floatzilla expects to draw over one-thousand paddlers to the Quad Cities. To break the record, Floatzilla participants will have to link hands, paddles, or hold on to adjacent boats to create and maintain a single interconnected raft for 30 seconds. The current record of 1,104 boats was set on Fourth Lake, Inlet, New York on September 13, 2008.

River Action Inc., a non-profit group dedicated to fostering the environmental, economic and cultural vitality of the Mississippi and its riverfront in the Quad Cities. Please contact Jeff or Mik at 563-322-2969 with any media inquiries. Additional information can be found at www.riveraction.org or www.floatzilla.org.

# # #

(DAVENPORT, IA) - Davenport area athletes will have a unique chance to enhance their competitive swimming skills by working with two swimming champions, Josh Davis and Mark Gangloff. The Scott County Family YMCA Swim Club is pleased to announce that that they will host a Mutual of Omaha Breakout! Swim Clinic on Sunday, May 2, 2010 at the North Family YMCA pool located at 624 W. 53rd Street in Davenport.

The Mutual of Omaha Breakout! Swim Clinic is a unique experience developed by Olympic gold medalist Josh Davis and Mutual of Omaha to inspire and motivate a new generation of swim stars. As an official sponsor of USA Swimming, Mutual of Omaha actively supports the sport on all levels, from local clubs across the country to the National Team. Davis, who earned three gold medals in the 1996 Olympics and two silver medals in the 2000 Olympic Games, is a master clinician and motivational speaker.

The event is a four hour in-water stroke technique clinic from 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM for ages, 8 to 18 year olds. The cost is $60 per swimmer. The swimmers will hear inspiring messages from Olympians Josh Davis and Mark Gangloff. Immediately following, they will hit the water with Davis and Gangloff for in-water demonstration and instruction on swim strokes and techniques. Some participants may even have a chance to test their strokes in a race against the Olympic champions. Concluding the event, the swimming champions will be available for autographs and photos.

Registration for the Mutual of Omaha Breakout! Swim Clinic is currently open. To register, contact Angie Gillespie by phone at 563-391-7771 or E-Mail agillespie@scottcountyfamilyy.org.

About Josh Davis

In 1996, Josh Davis made history as the only man in any sport from any nation to win three gold medals at the Atlanta Olympic Games. Davis made his second Olympic appearance in the 2000 Games in Sydney, where he was elected captain of the USA Men's Swim Team and took home two silver medals. He went on to break the American record three times in the 200-meter freestyle. After two Olympics and five medals, Josh has established himself as an ambassador for the sport and is pioneering the road for the next generation of professional swimmers.

About Mark Gangloff

A two-time Olympian, Gangloff has earned two gold medals swimming in the preliminaries of the 400-meter medley relay at the 2008 and 2004 Olympics. He was also a member of the American record-breaking 400-meter medley relay team at the 2008 Short Course World Championships, and he earned a silver medal at that meet in the 50-meter breaststroke.

MOLINE, IL?A social worker, a retired police officer, a PhD, a Plumber, a US Army Reserve Sergeant, and the QC's own celebrated black belt and world record holder, invite you to join them for Morrow's Hour of Power?a lunch hour of push-ups to kick-start your weekend with a rush of adrenaline and sense of wellbeing.

The Hour of Power is a chance for the not-faint-of-heart to find their power by doing push-ups. John Morrow hosts the event every Friday at noon. "Each person finds his or her own number," says Morrow. "It's about how many push-ups you can do per minute for an hour." Morrow's number is 41. (Others in the group range from 4 to 18 push-ups per minute.)

Morrow is out to set a world record for the most push-ups by a group of people in one place in one hour?an event scheduled for May 1st at St. Ambrose University called Push-Ups for Peace. The event will benefit Kids Against Hunger and Quad City Children's Therapy.

"The Hour of Power" began as our way to prepare for May 1st," explained Morrow. "But we are having so much fun as a group, we decided to do it every Friday at lunchtime just for fun. We play classic rock from the Doors to the Beatles and have a great time. We're inviting people to join us and find their own personal power number."

Known very locally as "the village people", Morrow's group of five includes Jeanette Gibson, a social worker; Ian Fink, retired Bettendorf police officer, Dr. Dustin Derby from the Palmer College research department, John Olvera, a plumber and Sgt. Terry Timmons, US Army Reserve. They are led by John Morrow of push-up and martial arts fame.

"All you have to do is show up," says Morrow. The Hour of Power takes place at Morrow's Academy, every Friday from noon to 1pm. It's located at 1321 Fifth Ave. in downtown Moline. For information about Push-Ups for Peace, the Hour of Power, or Morrow's Academy, call John Morrow at 309-764-1929 or visit www.morrowsacademy.com.       

# # #

$75,000 in Cash and Prizes on the Line

FREE Total Outdoors-Kid Challenge April 17-18 at Bass Pro Shops

New York, NY?April 5, 2010?FIELD & STREAM, the world's leading outdoor magazine, and BASS PRO SHOPS, America's favorite outdoors store, today announced the dates for the 2010 FIELD & STREAM TOTAL OUTDOORSMAN CHALLENGE?PRESENTED BY MOBIL 1.  Now in its seventh year, the annual coast-to-coast competition to name the most competent sportsman in the land will kickoff with FREE qualifying events at Bass Pro Shops on April 17-18. This year kids are getting in on the fun, too, with their very own Total Outdoors-Kid Challenge with free activities, prizes and giveaways.

Widely celebrated as the country's premier competition for outdoorsmen, The 2010 Total Outdoorsman Challenge will host FREE local qualifiers at 48 participating Bass Pro Shops on Saturday, April 17, and Sunday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please visit www.totaloutdoorsmanchallenge.com for a complete list of participating stores. Thousands of sportsmen and -women across the country are expected to showcase their skills in baitcasting, air rifle and archery competitions. (Competitors must bring their own archery and baitcasting equipment.) Spectators and participants at the events will also be able to sign up to win great prizes, including Rocky Boots, given away at each store, and a trip for two to Big Cedar Lodge.

"If you love hunting, fishing and camping then you've likely been training for this event your entire life," says Anthony Licata, editor of Field & Stream. "Being a Total Outdoorsman means you approach every outdoor experience as an opportunity to grow your skills and have fun doing it, and that's exactly what this whole competition is about. It's a chance to celebrate the outdoors and earn big money and bragging rights all for doing what you love."

TOTAL OUTDOORS-KID CHALLENGE
Kids will be joining in the fun this year with the new "Total Outdoors-Kid Challenge."  A fun and free event taking place at Bass Pro Shops Saturday, April 17, and Sunday, April 18, from noon to 3 p.m. with prizes for all. The young outdoorsmen will be able to participate in fun, friendly challenges like bucket fishing, archery, life-jacket races and the sleeping bag roll-up.  They can also enjoy other free activities like drawstring bag coloring, knot-tying lessons, the Total Outdoors-Kid Activity booklet and prizes at the Prize Wheel?all while supplies last.

TOTAL OUTDOORSMAN CHALLENGE REGIONAL & NATIONAL EVENTS

Field & Stream editors will evaluate the local qualifier results to cull the top 200 participants to contend in one of four regional qualifying events taking place in June 2010.  Participants who place in the top three positions at the regional qualifiers will then advance to the final championship, where they will face off against the top three finishers from the 2009 Total Outdoorsman Challenge as well as one "wildcard" competitor selected from online submissions at www.totaloutdoorsmanchallenge.com. The Total Outdoorsman Challenge will culminate in an intensive, three-day, final championship event at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park in Missouri, September 9-11, 2010, pitting 16 of the nation's top outdoorsmen in head-to-head competition in seven outdoor skill challenges:  fly-fishing, bass fishing, rifle, shotgun, endurance, archery and ATV handling.

For the third year in a row, Field & Stream will host a regional event during the widely-attended, four-day CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tenn., June 10-13, 2010, the "crown jewel" of country music events.  Total Outdoorsman Challenge defending champion Tom Boatwright will show off his keen outdoor skills against a field of country music stars in a special celebrity edition of the competition on June 11 leading up to the regional qualifier slated for the following day.

The May issue of Field & Stream (on newsstands now) features "The Total Outdoorsmen Guide Book" with instruction from five of the nation's most successful hunting and fishing guides. Competitors looking for more information can check out Total Outdoorsman Challenge training tip videos at www.totaloutdoorsmanchallenge.com

There is no fee to enter the Field & Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge Presented by Mobil 1 and each event is open to the public. Anyone is invited to cheer on sportsmen from all walks of life as they test their abilities across a wide range of outdoor disciplines.

The Field & Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge Presented by Mobil 1, enjoys support from: Bass Pro Shops, Outdoor Channel, Yamaha, Toyota, Eukanuba, Rocky Boots, 505 Games, ThermaCELL, Diamond Archery, Smith & Wesson, Thompson Center Arms, Smith & Wesson Firearm Care Products, CMA Music Festival.

FIELD & STREAM TOTAL OUTDOORSMAN CHALLENGE SCHEDULE:

Local Qualifiers?April 17-18
(Listed in alphabetical order by city)

? Altoona, IA
? Arundel (Baltimore), MD 
? Atlanta, GA
? Auburn, NY
? Auburn Hills (Detroit), MI
? Bolingbrook, IL 
? Bossier City, LA
? Broken Arrow, OK
? Cincinnati, OH
? Clarksville, IN
? Columbia, MO
? Concord (Charlotte), NC
? Council Bluffs, IA
? Dania Beach (Ft. Lauderdale), FL
? Denham Springs, LA
? Denver, CO
? Fort Myers, FL
? Foxborough, MA
? Garland, TX
? Grapevine, TX
? Gurnee, IL
? Hampton, VA
? Hanover County (Richmond), VA
? Harrisburg, PA
? Independence, MO
? Katy, TX
? Las Vegas, NV
? Leeds, AL
? Macon, GA
? Manteca, CA
? Memphis, TN
? Mesa, AZ
? Myrtle Beach, SC
? Nashville, TN
? Oklahoma City, OK
? Olathe, KS 
? Orlando, FL
? Pearl, MS
? Pearland , TX
? Portage, IN
? Prattville, AL
? Rancho Cucamonga, CA
? Rossford, OH
? San Antonio, TX
? Savannah, GA
? Sevierville, TN
? Spanish Fort (Mobile), AL
? Springfield, MO


Regional Championships:
? Grapevine, TX - June 5
? Nashville, TN - June 12 at the CMA Music Festival
? Independence, MO - June 19
? Leeds, AL - June 26

National Championship:
? Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, Lampe, MO - September 9-11


Red Hawk Golf & Learning Center:

    The First Tee of the Quad Cities

    Registration for spring First Tee golf classes will begin April 1st.

    Click on events/calendar for class dates and times.

    Enroll by phone: Red Hawk Golf & Learning Center at (563) 386-0348

    Attn: Jim Hasley

 

WASHINGTON, D.C (Mar 20, 2010). - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) tonight issued the following statement on the University of Northern Iowa's upset win over the top seed and number 1 ranked University of Kansas in a 69-67 victory.

"Ruth and I could not be more proud of the UNI men's basketball team. This major victory in the second round of March Madness shows how skill and determination can win out. Tonight the Panthers pounced. Congratulations to each and every one of these student athletes and Coach Jacobson."

Pages