There IS Good News In The Quad-Cities, And You Can Read About It Here!
Hey, let’s face it, we all know this is a troubling time. With all of the precautions, panic and precarious situations surrounding the coronavirus, it’s gotten very difficult to maintain a positive outlook.
However, no matter how negative things may get, there are always people out there helping, there are always people out there trying to do the right thing, there are always people out there being kind and trying to make the world a better place, and those people and their actions are all the more significant and impactful now.
That’s why this column, and the live segment on KWQC-TV6’s Paula Sands Live accompanying it, is all the more important as well, to show you that there are good things going on, and amidst this tragedy, there are positive signs that point to a hopeful future, and a present with some aspects of good.
So, what are some of those positive things happening? Here’s some of the good news going on around the Quad-Cities…
Need To Find A Place For Carry-out, Delivery or Curbside?
If you’re looking for a restaurant to order a meal, QuadCities.com is continuing to bring you the most comprehensive information offering you a list of local restaurants, bars and cafes that are going above and beyond to offer the community options to still get their favorite dishes.
Want to get your restaurant listed? Just e-mail us at eat@QuadCities.com!
And look for even more great options and features from QuadCities.com in the coming weeks in regard to local restaurants and businesses, not to mention online entertainment!
Restaurants Doing Good
Speaking of restaurants, one of the tragedies of the coronavirus situation is that many children have been going without school lunches that they and their families may have relied upon to help get them through the day.
A couple of local restaurants are stepping up to give those kids and their families an option, and to help them out in this time of need.
Due to school closings, the Chief’s Bar and Grill family would like to offer FREE kids meals for K-12 grade for Silvis and East Moline students March 16-30. They can get a kids meal with proof of school ID or an adult present with area documentation. We are not encouraging you to leave home if not necessary, but understand that some families are relying on the schools support with meals. Supporting our community that supports us in dire times is what life’s all about.
Kids can get chicken strips, grilled cheese, or a cheeseburger option as well, in place of the mini corn dogs. The offer takes place Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
McAlister’s Deli locations are also offering a free lunch with a turkey and cheese sandwich, chips, applesauce and a cookie to all students affected by the closing of schools. Of course at this point, everything is carry-out.
Bettendorf Schools Offering Meals To Kids
Bettendorf schools are stepping up to help families impacted as well. Staring March 23, Monday through Friday, Neil Armstrong Elementary, 3311 Central Ave., and Bettendorf Middle School, 2030 Middle Road, are offering free breakfast and lunch to kids 18-and-under.
All service is “grab and go” and vehicle carry-out. Staff members will come to your vehicles, ask you how many meals you need, and will bring the meals to your vehicle. People are asked not to leave their cars.
For more information, call (563) 468-3715.
Looking for Everyday Heroes
Every day, we meet heroes in our lives. They may not stand out, they may not be dramatic, but through their every day kindnesses and positive actions, they make our lives and our worlds a better place.
The grandpa who takes his grand-kids to the park every weekend. The older brother or sister who makes sure their siblings get their homework done and helps them with it every night. The neighbor who mows grass or shovels snow for the elderly or handicapped folks in the neighborhood. The child who may not walk away with academic or athletic trophies, but gets good grades and is a positive friend and classmate. The co-worker who always makes sure people’s birthdays are remembered.
These people don’t often get covered in the media, don’t often get recognized for their efforts, and we at QuadCities.com would like to change that. In our constant efforts to promote positive news and good things about our awesome community, we’re debuting a new feature, Everyday Heroes, which will feature people who make our community great through their seemingly small, but significant, presence. Each story will have a feature on the person, talk about their achievements, their hobbies and their life, and give them the spotlight for just being them, just offering those every day kindnesses and positive actions, for just being an every day hero.
If you’d like to nominate someone for the award, please visit our “QuadCities.com Everyday Heroes” page, tell us their name, share your story, and tell us about why you’re nominating them. We’ll do our best to give them their time in the spotlight!
And, as always, keep checking out QuadCities.com every day for your fun, free, local entertainment and positive news and features!
Local Union 25 Celebrates Women In Construction
To recognize and celebrate the achievements of women in the industry, Women in Construction Week was started as a national campaign held annually during the first full week in March. The goal: to promote the fearless females who have chosen the trades as a career path and emphasize the growing role of women in the construction industry. Local Union 25 Plumbers and Pipefitters in Rock Island has spent the entire month of March celebrating women in the industry, and throughout the year encourages women to become involved with the trades and helps them get into these great paying careers.
According to the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), women make up 9.1 percent of the U.S. construction workforce. This figure encompasses all positions held by women, including executive, administrative and other office positions. A much smaller percentage — just 3.4 percent, according to Construction Dive — is involved in field work across the trades.
Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 25 in Rock Island counts just a handful of women among its membership, but hopes to continue to recruit more in the coming years.
Aside from job availability, a career in the skilled trades is high-paying and full of variety. Just ask journeywoman Amelia Kellner, who went to college and was working toward a Business/Marketing degree before she discovered Local Union 25.
“I’m making a whole lot more money than I would have with that degree, and I love my job,” Kellner said. “One day I may be tube bending, and the next I’m welding. Some projects may take a few days, while some may last two years — and I work at many different locations. There’s so much diversity and opportunity in the work. I love it!”
With expectations of growth in the plumbing and pipefitting industry at 14 percent through 2028, there is plenty of opportunity available for men and women who are considering a career in the skilled trades.
Interested in becoming a trained professional with Local Union 25? Visit www.lu25.org for more information.
Storytime Live
Davenport Library is hosting Storytime Live!, a series of Facebook Live storytimes for kids with Miss Amber and Miss Holly. The first storytime took place this past Thursday, others are coming up on the Davenport Public Library Facebook page. Stay tuned!
Speaking of Libraries…
Rock Island Library is offering a number of resources for kids and parents around the area to enjoy online publications and media from their homes.
Residents who do not have a card may apply for an eCard during the closure so that they use digital services. To apply for an RIPL eCard, you must live in the Rock Island Public Library service area and be 18 years of age or older. The online application is available on the library website under Get a Card.
The library will continue to offer digital services through OverDrive, eRead Illinois, Hoopla digital, Kanopy, RB Digital magazines, and the New York Times online. Many of the digital services are offering extended use. Kanopy has opened up unlimited access to a collection of films that can be viewed without using monthly credits. The Kanopy Kids collection is also available for unlimited use for 30 days. As a resident in the area served by RAILS, Rock Island Public Library patrons may also use the RAILS BiblioBoard Library.
For parents who want to support learning while children are at home, the Rock Island Library offers World Book Online encyclopedias, Brainfuse HelpNow online tutoring/skill building resources, and Scholastic BookFlix. As a public service, Scholastic has also opened up access to Scholastic Learn at Home, which offers daily learning journeys for four grade spans—Pre-K–K, Grades 1–2, Grades 3–5, and Grades 6–9.
If you have not had a chance to explore the digital offerings, give them a try. You can find links to access these through our website, or in the links below this message. The DeKalb Public Library has also compiled a list of online museums and other learning services . Most of the listed sites are open access and do not require a DKPL card.
If you are avoiding social contact, you may also be able to access our WiFi signal from outside the building.
For more information about our response to COVID-19, including how to protect yourself, please see our web page, Coronavirus and your library.
The library’s interest is in keeping you and our staff safe and healthy.
Links to Library Services
Kanopy video streaming services
Brainfuse Help Now, World Book Online (under Homework Help)
You can stay in touch with news happenings via our free subscription to the New York Times online. The link provides 72 hours of free access.
Digital Magazines. Can be accessed here.
Borrow digital items online: e-books and e-audiobooks; streaming TV, movie and music services; and digital subscriptions to newspapers and magazines.
Research online with digital learning services (Including HelpNow online tutoring to keep kids skills fresh while schools are closed.)
Little Caesars Brings The Za
Their Roman namesake would be proud.
On Thursday, Little Caesars Pizza‘s #LoveKitchen came to town to help out, pulling up to Christian Care Rock Island, to help out during the #Coronavirus situation, and gave out free pizza to the community and those in need.
Thanks to Ryan Orr from DPhilms for posting about the generous trek from Caesars.
Take A Virtual Museum Tour!
Engage in a little culture and education, while keeping your distance from potential Coronavirus carriers. Many museums currently offer Virtual Tours, can you go on from the comfort of home. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and the Guggenheim Museum are only two of the diverse bunch that host online tours.
Want to explore overseas? Google Arts & Culture has a collection of virtual walk-throughs for dozens of international museums, from Los Angeles to Amsterdam.
Or take this time to familiarize yourself with local museums and what they have to offer! We have the Figge Art Museum, Putnam, Family Museum and the German American Heritage Center, just to name a few. Peruse the websites and read about the collections right here in the Quad Cities.
Engage in a little culture and education, while keeping your distance from potential Coronavirus carriers. Many museums currently offer Virtual Tours, can you go on from the comfort of home. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and the Guggenheim Museum are only two of the diverse bunch that host online tours.
Want to explore overseas? Google Arts & Culture has a collection of virtual walk-throughs for dozens of international museums, from Los Angeles to Amsterdam.
Or take this time to familiarize yourself with local museums and what they have to offer! We have the Figge Art Museum, Putnam, Family Museum and the German American Heritage Center, just to name a few. Peruse the websites and read about the collections right here in the Quad Cities.
As always, we’re looking for any and all good news you might have to offer! Please contact me at Sean@QuadCities.com!
