Executive Director of Quad Cities Cultural Trust to Serve as Grand Marshal for Festival of Trees Holiday Parade
Jen Dobrunz, executive director of the Quad Cities Cultural Trust, will serve as a Grand Marshal at the 2021 Kwik Star Festival of Trees Holiday Parade on Saturday, Nov. 20 in downtown Davenport.
Dobrunz has dedicated her career to the non-profit sector, raising nearly $100 million over the last 15 years. She is a Quad City native who lives in LeClaire, Iowa with her three children. She has served as the QCCT executive director for three years.
During her tenure, QCCT started and completed a record-breaking campaign that brought the trust’s endowment to over $32 million, which has allowed for additional grants to the Quad-Cities’ deeply-rooted amenities. QCCT annually funds the Figge, Putnam, Quad City Arts, River Music Experience, Quad City Botanical Center, and Q-C Symphony Orchestra.
“It’s an honor to serve as a Parade Marshal on November 20, but it’s an even bigger honor to get to work with worthy organizations like Quad City Arts each day,” Dobrunz said recently. “Our region is stronger because of QCCT’s partners and we know our investments foster economic vibrancy. The Kwik Star Festival of Trees is an example of why culture matters here, and it always will.”
Festival of Trees (Nov. 20-28 at the Davenport RiverCentr) is the largest fundraiser of the year for Quad City Arts, one of the six QCCT-funded art and cultural amenities. To date, QCCT has invested over $14 million into art and culture in the Q-C region.
“Our Festival of Trees Holiday Parade Grand Marshals represent people and organizations who are not only staples in our community but also strong supporters of art and culture,” said Kevin Maynard, executive director of Quad City Arts.
“Jen Dobrunz and the Quad Cities Cultural Trust is no different; the support they have provided to their partners runs deep,” he said. “As we welcome back Kwik Star Festival of Trees and the Festival of Trees Holiday Parade, it is fitting to have them represented, as the QCCT worked hard to provide extra support during a challenging time.”
The 29th Annual Holiday Parade will take place in downtown Davenport, Saturday, Nov. 20th at 10 a.m. Broadcast live by KWQC-TV6, this free event features giant helium character balloons, including the debut of Optimus Prime, Animal from the Muppets, the Cheshire Cat and more, along with pageant queens, dance groups, floats, marching bands and of course your chance to see Santa.
The procession will begin at 3rd Street & Pershing Ave. going west to Scott Street, then turning left to make its way back east on 2nd Street, finishing at 2nd Street and Iowa Ave. Don’t forget to stop by the free Hot Cocoa and Coffee tent sponsored by MetroNet before you make your way down the parade route.
While the Cultural Trust had a campaign to increase its endowment from under $25 million to $32 million, by the end of 2021, QCCT raised $12.8 million in new pledges a year early – allowing it to give out a record-breaking $1.6 million in 2020, including $400,000 in a first-time fall 2020 allocation (given in two parts).
The big 2020 push came after an historic 2019, when the trust distributed more than $1.1 million — a 21% increase from the year prior. It typically makes grants in the spring, and funding for each partner varies each year, based on detailed applications.
To celebrate its 2020 milestone, the QCCT held a big “Paint the Town” event at RME on June 8, 2021. For more information on the Cultural Trust, visit www.qcct.org. For more on Festival of Trees, visit www.qcfestivaloftrees.com.
