Events & Projects

The Special Projects Committee of the Rock Island Junior Board is responsible for the selection and organization of many smaller projects that benefit the children of the Quad Cities. During the year, the committee informs, educates, and guides the board on different organizations or projects in the community that would benefit from some assistance from Junior Board.

In September 2005, the members of Junior Board donated enough school supplies to provide tutoring for the entire year to the Martin Luther King Center in Rock Island. In November and December, the group focused on Shoes that Fit, collecting winter items including boots and coats for over 70 children in Illinois and Iowa. The Boys and Girls Club also benefited by receiving games and toys for their summer problem.

Future projects will include baby items to donate to participants of the Project NEST program, donations to Bethany House to provide special gifts for Foster children and many more.

"On behalf of the Board of Directors, Advisory Committee, staff, volunteers and Club members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley, I would like to thank you for your donation of school supplies. Your generosity will help "to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from challenging circumstances, to achieve their full potential as productive, responsible and caring adults."

-- Becky Clark, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley

"The staff and students of Hawthorne Irving Elementary School greatly appreciate the generosity Junior Board has shown to our Students. Your donation toward playground equipment did not go unnoticed. You will never know how helpful you have been to our school."

-- Hawthorne Irving Elementary School

"I thank The Junior Board of Rock Island for the donation of school supplies to our after- school program. The supplies are being well used by the over 50 youths we serve every day in the program.

We truly appreciate your donation and it was well-timed as funding becomes more difficult to secure. The need to support academic success is great here and your help is valuable for our efforts."

-- Gerald Jones, Executive Director, Martin Luther King Center

Child Birth Seminar

On August 31, 2006, Project NEST and the Rock Island Health Department hosted a Child Birth Seminar to help educate expectant mothers. The seminar was given by Linda Inch, a Birth Doula specialist.

"The child birthing seminar was a good experience. I'm very glad that I came. I learned a whole lot about asking many questions as possible and making sure I'm comfortable during my birthing experience. Linda Inch was very helpful with letting me know that I am capable of doing this, it's just all in my mind power." -- T'Ana , 17 weeks pregnant

"When I was 7 months pregnant, I got laid off from my job. I was worried about being able to attend childbirth classes and afford them on a fixed income. I contacted the Rock Island County W.I.C. Program and they informed me about the Nest. I was able to attend a free childbirth class with Linda Inch that was very informative and the equivalent of taking a month long course at one of the hospitals. It was an eight hour class and although I have researched and read a lot, Linda was still able to give me a wealth of valuable information."

-- Erika, 33 weeks pregnant

For more information about Doula Services and Child Birth Alternatives, Please contact:

Linda Inch
TRANQUILITY
Birth Doula Service
Moline, Illinois, (309) 737-9255
e-mail: noah@qconline.com

"My intention is to provide support to you during this time of life changes and transitions to motherhood."

-- Linda Inch

Services: Doula Support,CD(DONA) Pregnancy Massage, NAPMT Infant Massage, CIMI(IAIM) Licensed Massage Therapist, IA. Certified Massage Therapist, NCTMB Birthing From Within® Childbirth classes based upon the book and BFW® level 1/2/3 training.

Qualifications: I began working with mothers and babies in 1991. Since 1994 I have been certified by the National Certification of Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworkers (NCTMB). During following years I have studied and certified with the National Association of Pregnancy Massage Therapists (NAPMT), became a Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI), certified with Doulas of North America (DONA), and currently offering Birthing From Within® (BFW®) Childbirth classes based upon the book and BFW® level 1/2/3 training.

Donation to Bethany for Children

"Thanks again to the Junior Board for your support. Your gift will make some fun crafts projects possible for the children in our Therapeutic Recreation Porgram, and in art therapy sessions. Thanks so much!" -- Gary Rowe, Vice President, Development/Marketing, Bethany for Children
	Art Supplies that Bethany for Children purchased using funds donated by the Junior Board of Rock Island

Teens 4 Tomorrow Makes Generous Donation

On June 13, 2006, Junior Board of Rock Island was presented with a check in the amount of $750 from Teens 4 Tomorrow, a program sponsored through the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend.

The money will be used to help purchase Car Seats for the Project NEST and will be given to participants that complete the Car Seat Safety Class successfully. For more information on Teens 4 Tomorrow, visit The Community Foundation of the Great River Bend. Junior Board sincerely thanks the Teens 4 Tomorrow Program for generously donating to our NEST program!
	Molly Tomsha from Teens 4 Tomorrow presenting a check in the amount of $750 to Elizabeth DeLong Panegos from Junior Board of Rock Island

The Car Seat Safety Program

One successful new Project NEST program is the Car Seat Safety Program. For the first time, Project NEST offered a class to expectant mothers and were able to not only educate participants of the importance of car seats, but demonstrate how to use car seats safely. Each mother was given a new car seat to take home!

The CPR Seminar

This past year Junior Board conducted a CPR Seminar at the Health Department for all Project NEST participants, their families and friends. Junior Board was successful in helping certify 12 people in infant/child CPR.