COACHES CORNER
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
MAY, 2015
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “SCHOOL-BASED PLUS” MENTOR? This year, BBBS-MV decided to “enhance” our School-Based mentoring program. Based on much feedback from School-Based Bigs who wanted to be able to see their Little during holiday and summer breaks, we implemented a way for them to do that. It’s called “School-Based Plus”. It’s important to know that not all School -Based Bigs want or need to take advantage of this enhancement, but it is simply being offered to those who do want it. Over time all Bigs (Community-Based and School-Based) will be enrolled in the same manner, and then will be able to choose, if they want, to meet “off-campus” with their School-Based Little on occasion. The main difference between our agency’s previous School-based program and the new School-based Plus model is that Bigs in the Plus program have the ability to transport their Little to and from Big Brothers Big Sisters sponsored activities. These activities include our monthly match activities, special events (like Match Night at Putt-A-Round), and fundraisers (like Plant Sale). Not only does the ability to transport the Little simplify the logistics of participating in BBBS events, but research shows that School-based Bigs who are able to maintain a connection with their Little outside of the school setting (especially over holiday and summer breaks) have longer, stronger relationships with their mentee. In addition, enrollment in the School-based Plus program allows the Big and BBBS to meet their Little’s parent or guardian and then possibly have increased conversation and interaction with the Little’s parent/guardian if the Big so desires. Parents/Guardians often are able to share valuable information about how a Big can further support Little’s social and academic growth.
Round, tree wrapping with Living Lands and Waters, kaleidoscope art at the German American Heritage Center, and learning about theater production at Junior Theater. If your School-Based match began prior to September, 2014, you have the opportunity to transition to the School-Based Plus program now, and you and your Little will be ready to enjoy our full-of-fun summer match activity calendar! This is up to you. To transition, one of BBBS’ Volunteer Enrollment Specialists (Jen or Ally) will go through your existing paperwork and determine what additional information that might be required (most often a short phone interview, an additional reference, DMV background check, and a copy of your DL and auto insurance). Your Program Specialist (or Match Coach) will discuss the School-based Plus program with your Little’s parent/ guardian and complete any additional paperwork needed with them. Finally, your Program Specialist will schedule a time to introduce you to your Little’s parent and discuss which BBBS activities you and your Little are most interested in attending. You may not be available to participate in activities over the summer months, that’s ok too. Your Program Specialist will discuss other ways to communicate with your Little over the summer and connect with you in the fall to share your Little’s new lunch/recess schedule so you can begin meeting again. BBBS is planning to update the enrollment method of all matches by the end of December, 2015. It will still be up to you as a School-Based Big whether or not you want to meet with your Little outside of the school setting.
If you started your School-Based match since September, 2014, you and your Little have already completed all the necessary enrollment requirements to participate in BBBS sponsored activities. Many have already taken advantage of this and attended Putt-A-
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Please contact Sarah Walker, or your Match Coach with any additional questions regarding the School-based Plus transition process. 563-323-8006
SCHOOL-BASED PLUS! A NEW MENTOR MODEL RAVE ABOUT OUR LITTLES! MAY CAREER NAVIGATOR TOURS RAVE ABOUT A LITTLE MAY MATCH ACTIVITY— ACTIVITY—RIVER BANDITS! CRAFT ACTIVITY—SPRINGTIME SCIENCE WITH SEEDS 100 DAYS / 100 BIGS KICKS OFF! MATCH ANNIVERSARIES 2015 GOLF OUTING—NEED SPONSORS AND 4-SOMES! GOLF PARTNERSHIP AT SUNRISE GOLF IN BETTENDORF
25TH ANNUAL PLANT SALE BEGINS MAY 2-10 SOUTHERN REGION (MACOMB) UPDATE WHITESIDE COUNTY UPDATE DEAR MATCH COACH—WHEN NO ONE IS HOME GET TO KNOW BBBS STAFF: RAYNA HARVAEZ SUPPORT BBBS THROUGH BIRDIES FOR CHARITY SCHEDULE A LUNCH AND LEARN AT YOUR WORKPLACE BBBS TEE-SHIRTS FOR SALE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
COACHES CORNER VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
RAVE!
We’re so proud of Little Sister, Gwendolyn, who raised $600 to support childhood cancer research and shaved her head as part of the St. Baldrick’s event. Way to go, Gwendolyn! Thanks for stepping up to make a difference!
ANGEL GETS AN EGG! Ashley was matched with Angel about 5 months ago, and recently Ashley told her Match Coach a cute story about Angel. In late March, Ashley and her husband decorated Easter eggs and Ashley made one for Angel that was decorated pretty and even had Angel’s name written on it. Ashley was excited to bring the egg to Angel and show it to her at school. As soon as she gave it to Angel, Angel asked if it was hard boiled. Ashley said that it was and Angel proceeded to smash the egg and eat it, right in front of Ashley. Ashley asked if Angel saw how pretty it was decorated and that it had her name on it. Angel told Ashley that at her house they EAT the eggs, not look at them! Needless to say although Angel’s favorite colors are pink and purple, she is not a “girly girl”. This match is doing really well though and may transition to community based soon.
MAY, 2015
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
COACHES CORNER MAY , 2015
CRAFT ACTIVITY: SPRINGTIME SCIENCE WITH SEEDS Supplies: wheat grass seeds soil water clear plastic cup goofy picture (make sure to take the picture close enough, so that your Little’s forehead is cut off) Clear tape
Directions: First, tape your Little’s picture to the front of a clear plastic cup, making sure the top of the picture is all the way to the top of the cup. Then, fill the cup with soil, planting the seeds just under the top layer of soil. Give your seeds a healthy shower of water and VOILA! You’re done. In a few weeks your Little will have one wild looking toupee!
COACHES CORNER VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
MAY ,2015
100 DAYS / 100 BIGS KICKS OFF AT WIEBLERS H-D!
Clockwise from top left: People playing “Spin to Win”; Jay Justin, BBBS, CEO, Beth Clark, BBBS Development Director and Bob Wiebler, owner of Wieblers Harley-Davidson; volunteering that day, Lisa Moreland, Big Sister and her Little, Patty. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL Sarah Walker at 563-323-8006 or go to www.bbbsmv.org and click on 100 Days / 100 Bigs.
Several hundred people attended the 100 Days / 100 Bigs Kick-Off on a rainy Saturday, April 25, at Wieblers Harley-Davidson in Davenport. Wieblers combined their spring open house with the volunteer campaign kick-off. Volunteers and staff helped with selling lunch and raffle tickets, informed people about the BBBS programs and ran the “Spin to Win” wheel. Attendees purchased $10 value packs that included a lunch ticket and multiple chances to win prizes provided by Wieblers including a $500 Wiebler’s gift certificate! Music was provided by Jason Carl and the Whole Damn Band, and our emcee for the day was Big George Schultz from Comedy Sportz fame. A few days earlier BBBS kicked off 100 Days / 100 Bigs at the Bigs’ Night Out held at Brix in Moline. The goal is to engage current and past Bigs and community supporters to recruit volunteers into the youth mentoring program. The campaign runs from April 22 through August 1. Bigs who recruit new volunteers will be eligible to win one of ten $250 gift cards to take their Little back to school shopping. Anyone who recruits a volunteer will be entered to win a Milwaukee Get-Away package that includes 2 nights’ stay, $100 in dining gift card and four tickets to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.
CELEBRATE MAY MATCH ANNIVERSARIES! Little’s First Name
Gwendolyn David Sydney James Antario Jusele Eden Zayvion Bonnie Connor Hope Chelsey
Big’s First Name
Caitlin Sam Gloria Justin Milton Jeanne Laci Nicholas KyLee Mike Jackie Tanya
Big’s Last Name
Years Matched
Goveia Till Smith Landwehr Shaw Ferris Halverson Martinez White Chupka Riedesel Kammes
5 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1
Congratulations to all of our Matches on their Match Anniversary!
Know someone who would make a great youth mentor? Have them call Sarah at 563-323-8006, email swalker@bbbs-mv.org or go to:
www.bbbsmv.org
COACHES CORNER VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
MAY , 2015
BUY A HOLE SPONSORSHIP OR REGISTER YOUR TEAM FOR THE 2015 BBBS GOLF OUTING!
Monday, July 20, 2015
Big Brothers Big Sisters is accepting registrations for foursomes and for Hole Sponsorships for the 2015 Big Brothers Big Sisters Golf Outing to be held at Fyre Lake (Sherrard, IL) on Monday, July 20th. Registration opens at 8 a.m. with shotgun start at 10 a.m. Enjoy an “eye opener” at Wake Up Island and buy your Make An Impact Pack which includes raffle prize tickets and “mulligans”. Each player will receive a tee-gift from Hornbuckle HVAC and lunch will be served on the carts sponsored by Friendship Manor. Each player will also receive three beverage tickets that can be used at one of six “beverage stations” sponsored by Ryan Companies US and Treiber Construction. The outing will wrap up at the 19th Hole Fiesta sponsored by Enterprise Car with cash bar and great food provided by Azteca! Corporate Player Packages $1,200 (includes two hole signs and a foursome) Foursomes only $600 Individual Hole Sponsor $350.
Presented By:
For more information or to register your team or purchase a sponsorship please contact Kayla at: 563-323-8006; kkiesey@bbbs-mv.org
TEACH YOUR LITTLE TO PLAY GOLF! SUPPORT BBBS WHEN YOU DO! Sunrise Golf in Bettendorf is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters this golf season in several ways. 1.
2. 3.
When you pay to play at Sunrise, $1.00 of your greens fees will be donated by the course to support BBBS. Just mention BBBS, pose for a “selfie” in front of the #sunrise4littles sign, then post your picture on Facebook with that hash tag (or just let the person at the counter write your name on their list). Ask for the BBBS Punch Card and pay to play five rounds, then get the sixth round FREE! First Thursdays of each month, just show your BBBS ID Card. You pay and your LITTLE plays for FREE!
COACHES CORNER VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
MAY , 2015
25th ANNUAL PLANT SALE MAY 2-10: FOUR LOCATIONS! All proceeds benefit one-to-one youth mentoring. Largest Plant Sale in the Quad Cities! Over 3,000 flats and over 2,000 hanging baskets!
GREAT QUALITY! GREAT SELECTION! GREAT CAUSE! Presented by:
* ANNUALS * 4” POT GERANIUMS * 10” & 12” HANGING BASKETS * 4” POT WAVE / EASY WAVE PETUNIAS * GIFT CERTIFICATES AND MORE! Major Sponsor:
SHOP THESE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS DAVENPORT: May 2—10, Northwest Bank & Trust Tower (Welcome Way at Kimberly Rd.) 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. MOLINE: NEW for 2015: May 2-3, UnityPoint Health Trinity (500 John Deere Rd.) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. BETTENDORF: May 2-3, Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors (1228 Middle Rd.) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MACOMB: May 6-10, Next to Quick Print & Signs 1140 E. Jackson St. Wed.-Sat., 8 am-7 pm, Sun. 10 am—3 pm
SIGN SPONSOR:
www.bbbsmv.org
MEDIA SPONSORS:
Location Sponsors:
(click on plant sale) #plantforkids Questions? Contact Kayla 563-323-8006
Mark Your Calendar
REUNITE! BBBS Annual Picnic
Saturday, August 22 Veterans Memorial Park, Bettendorf, IA
COACHES CORNER
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
MAY ,2015
ALL FORE! THE KIDS! MINI-GOLF FUNDRAISER Our first ever ALL FORE! THE KIDS event was a total success! On Saturday 4 April at Western Illinois University, we had 12 WIU organizations build holes for a mini golf course. Though it was the day before Easter, when all sorts of other activities were happening in Macomb, we actually had a decent number of golfers play. We most certainly couldn't have done it without the WIU Veteran's Club, who were the event sponsors. Our sponsors for each of the 12 holes did something really special to support our program. The 8 matches who came to play the course were all smiles. And a big hand for RP Lumber, Hollister, Lowe's (Quincy), Midwest Building Supplies, and WIU for donating the materials; a bigger hand for WIU and the Kinesiology Department for donating the space, utilities, a GA who helped us set up; a big hand for the 2 WIU Football players who shot a round with Little Brother Jaylen, stayed to help us clean up, loaded up our stuff in their pick-up truck, came to the BBBS office, and helped us pack everything away, all for no reason other than they wanted to help BBBS; a bigger hand for Macomb Parks and Recreation for lending us all of the clubs and balls (we would have had trouble doing a mini-golf event without those!); a big hand for DJ Alex, for spinning the jams all day for us; a big hand for the St. Louis Rams, Chubby's, Chick's, Raging Waves, and the Peoria Chiefs for donating the hole-in-one prizes; a bigger hand for
Colonel Rock III and his owner Joe for being there and being awesome all day long; a big hand for BBBS Board members who made our event part of their Easter weekend; a bigger hand for BBBS super-intern John Ross for doing just about all of the work; and a standing ovation for everyone who came out to play the course! NEW MATCHES There are so many wonderful matches in Holly (left) and Anika Warren and McDonough Counties already, but we just LOVE adding more to the team. This month we have 3 incredible Community-based matches, and believe us when we say that they are all destined for great things. First we have Little Sister Anika and Big Sister Holly; Anika takes tumbling classes at the same studio where Holly teaches dance! Then there’s Little Sister Saryanna and Big Sister Teresa; if ever there were a Big and a Little with more in common, we haven’t met them! Finally, there is Little Brother Eric and Teresa (left) and Saryana Big Brother Ryan AND Big Sister Ashley; our first Community-based couples match! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Ashley, Eric and Ryan
SAVE THE DATE The 2015 Plant Sale in Macomb will be Wednesday, May 6 to Sunday, May 10. We’ll be in the usual place, on Jackson next to Quick Print, from 8AM-7PM Wed-Sat and from 10AM-3PM on Sunday (if necessary). We will have the same wide selection of beautiful, healthy flowers and hanging baskets that our supporters in Warren and McDonough Counties have come to expect from us. Come on out to get gifts for mom, spouse, or teacher, but don’t put it off until Sunday; those magnificent multi-color baskets sold out in less than 2 days last year, and we expect the same mad rush for them this year. Talk about win-win situations: you get beautiful flowers, we get to keep helping kids change their lives for the better. We’re looking forward to seeing all of you at the 2015 Plant Sale!
To inquire about becoming a Big in Macomb call Pete at 309-837-5437
COACHES CORNER VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
MAY , 2015
WHITESIDE COUNTY MAY UPDATE FEATURED MATCH: ALENA AND SUSAN
Alena and Susan have been matched for 5 years. They enjoy going to the Asian Buffet, Alena’s favorite restaurant, and shopping. They also like to go see plays together, and once have gone to Chicago to see “A Cinderella Tale”. Thank you for being a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Alena and Susan!
Alena (left) and Susan
SOMETHING NEW TO TRY WITH YOUR LITTLE POP BOTTLE ART Whether you see cherry blossoms, or apple blossoms, this is fun art you can create with your Little. When it’s dry it would make a lovely May Day or Mother’s Day gift! http://alphamom.com/family-fun/holidays/cherry-blossom-art-from-a-recycled-sodabottle/ THINGS TO DO AROUND TOWN: TWIN CITIES FARMERS MARKET Twin Cities Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The Twin Cities Farmers Market is located at 106 Avenue A, Sterling, IL DUTCH DAYS FULTON, IL MAY 1&2 9 AM -7PM Parade Saturday at 3pm; Arts & Crafts, Food & Concessions, Windmill Tours, Dutch Dancing & Costumes, Antique Tractor Display & more! MOVIES AT GRANDON CIVIC CENTER- Tuesday May 26th- BRAVE All movies will be held at the Grandon Civic Center in Central Memorial Park in Downtown Sterling, Illinois. This community event is FREE for all to attend. Movies begin at Dusk (approximately 8:30 p.m.). Come early for fun family activities before the movie. Concessions are available for purchase. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for a great family night out! Movies at Grandon are a community service brought to you by Sterling Main Street and the City of Sterling. 2ND ANNUAL STERLING MAIN STREET CAR SHOW- Sunday, May 31st 2nd Annual Sterling Main Street Car Show. Free Spectator Admission. Awards presented at 2:00pm. Downtown Sterling. Rain or Shine!
Introduce a friend to mentoring. As a Big you know there is no feeling quite like knowing that you are making a positive impact on a child’s life. For as little as 2 hours a month in our School-Based program your friend or co -worker can change the life of a Little for the better, forever.
www.bbbsmv.org click on “Volunteer”.
COACHES CORNER
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
MAY , 2015
DEAR MATCH COACH: WHEN NO ONE IS HOME Dear Match Coach, There have been two times recently that I have arrived to pick up my Little and no one was home. I found out later that they forgot about our plans. How should I handle this? We understand how frustrating that can be. Most important, try not to get too discouraged or angry. Your commitment and patience are being tested, but some simple strategies may help: Have your Little write down when your next meeting is. Be sure that you have confirmed this with the parent or guardian, and check that they have your number if they need to cancel. Then make a reminder call the night before to his guardian. If you know that the guardian prefers to text, that may be a simple solution as well, and you can just send a quick text to confirm. Many times your Little has no control over the situation because of other family commitments such as needing to babysit a younger sibling. If the problem continues, your Match Coach can talk to them about things they can do to help.
GET TO KNOW BBBS STAFF: RAYNA NARVAEZ Name: Rayna Narvaez Position: Elementary Program Specialist How long have you been working for BBBS? 8 months, since the beginning of September 2014 What do you most enjoy about being with BBBS? I love that I get the chance to interact with so many great people every day—in the office, at schools, on my caseload, and in the community! I appreciate that most people have a really positive attitude and care about the well-being of QC kids. What do you like to do when you’re not working? Zumba, running, and Netflix are a few of my favorite things! What advice would you give a child who is in our program? I would like children in our program, and in general, to know that they always have someone to talk to, whether that be BBBS staff, their Big, or another trusted adult. Talking through things can make an overwhelming or seemingly hopeless situation more bearable!
The time you spend with your Little matters! The time you spend with your Little is so important to their development into a self-sufficient adult. You are helping them to see there are many possibilities available to them in their life. You are helping to build their confidence and ability to make good decisions.
Thanks for all you do!
Adults who were mentored as a child in a BBBS program were: 75% more likely to receive a 4 year degree. 52% more likely to volunteer in their community. 90% felt their mentor provided stability in their life. 74% said their mentor influenced their personal decisions.
COACHES CORNER VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
MAY, 2015
CHIP IN! SUPPORT BBBS THRU BIRDIES FOR CHARITY! A great way to support BBBS and its youth mentoring programs is by making a donation to BBBS through Birdies for Charity. It’s simple! All you need to do is go to the Big Brothers Big Sisters website at www.bbbsmv.org and click on DONATE. It will take you to the page below, then click on Birdies for Charity and download the form.
BBBSMV 416 The form already contains the BBBSMV name and “bird number” on it. Once you make a one-time flat donation or enter an amount for every birdie made, then you mail your form into Birdies for Charity at 15623 Coaltown Rd., East Moline, IL 61244. All pledges must be made on the official
BIRDIES SCORED IN PREVIOUS YEARS: 1,914 (in 2009) 2,010 (in 2010) 2,160 (in 2011) 2,113 (in 2013) 2,142 (in 2013) 2,040 (in 2014)
Birdies Pledge Card and must be received at the tournament office by July 10, 2015. After the tournament you will be mailed a notice of your pledge amount due. You can also enter the Birdies for Charity contest by guessing the number of birdies that will actually be made by the Tour Pros during the tournament, Wednesday through Sunday. A grand prize of a two year lease on a 2015 Lexus NX will be given to one person who guesses the correct number. In case of ties, winners will be randomly selected. Other contest prizes include: John Deere riding lawn mower, John Deere Classic tee marker signed by the 2015 John Deere Classic champion, $500 credit to be used at any local John Deere dealership, and over 100 other great prizes! Whenever someone pledges to support BBBS through Birdies for charity, the organization receives the contribution, plus 5-10% from the Birdies for Charity Fund match. So, the non-profit will be the recipient of even more that what you donated!
LUNCH AND LEARN ABOUT MENTORING! If you are a current or past Big Brother or Big Sister and work at a company in our region, you could be of great assistance to BBBS during 100 Days / 100 Bigs (or anytime during the year) by talking with your Human Resources Manager or branch manager and scheduling a Lunch and Learn at your workplace. A Lunch and Learn usually works like this: 1. Promote the Lunch and Learn in the workplace for two weeks prior to the meeting and have people sign up in advance for it. 2. Workplace provides a lunch—pizza, sandwiches, etc. 3. Allow 45 minutes for the meeting—a few minutes to eat and socialize, about 30 minutes for the Big Impact video, program explanation and Q and A. 4. We only ask for volunteer inquiries at this meeting. It’s difficult to have someone make a commitment after only hearing a few words about mentoring. We simply ask them to fill out an inquiry form and one of our enrollment specialists will contact them.
Ask your HR Manager to schedule a volunteer recruitment Lunch and Learn! Contact Beth at 563-323-8006 or email: bclark@bbbs-mv.org.
COACHES CORNER
COACHES CORNER VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5
MAY , 2015
COMMUNITY CALENDAR—MAY 2015 SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
1
3
4
5
PLANT SALE 10
Farmer’s Market
PLANT SALE
11
12
6
7
PLANT SALE 13
PLANT SALE 14
SATURDAY
PLANT SALE PLANT SALE 2 KICKS OFF! UNLOADING DAY! COME AND Home Depot Kids HELP! Workshop
8 PLANT SALE 15
Tween Video Game Workshop Beaux Arts Fair BBBS RIVER BANDITS NIGHT MATCH ACTIVITY
16 Kids Craft Day
PLANT SALE ENDS TODAY
17
24
18
19
25
26
20
27
21
28
22
23
Quad Cities Memorial Clasic—Baseball
The Channel Cat opens
29
30 Summer Reading Kick
QC Criterium Bike Race
Off
OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY! M A Y
Home Depot Kids Workshop- May 2 from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM at the Home Depot at 920 Middle Road in Bettendorf will have a free kid’s workshop. This workshop will teach a child how to build a picket fence photo frame in time for Mother's Day. It is for children ages 5-12 years old. It is on a first come/ first served basis. Please do not arrive before 9:00 a.m. and you can register online for the workshop at www.homedepot.com
River Drive in Moline. They are hosting a free crafts activity just for kids. Also receive 15% off your purchase at the John Deere Store with your “Be a Tourist” coupon. Call 309-765-1000 for more information.
2015 Quad City Memorial Classic - May 22nd through 24th is “The 2015 Quad Cities Memorial Classic” in Walcott in Iowa. Enjoy baseball action over this Memorial Day Weekend. This 2015 tourney will have great baseball games Freight House Farmers Market- May 5th is the opening day of the outdoor with food, and beverages will be available to buy. For more information conmarket at 421 W. River Drive. Come and buy local products and produce from tact Tournament Director Ron Foster at poppafos@hotmail.com. Come out 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The outdoor market opens from May to October and the to the ballpark! indoor market is opened from November to April. The hours of operation are Tuesdays from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm and Saturdays from 8:00 am until 1:00 The Channel Cat- Starting May 23 and every day until Labor Day on Monday pm. Call 563-322-6009 for more information. through Thursday – 11:00 AM to 7:40 PM and Friday, Saturday and Sunday– 9:00 AM to 7:15 PM ride the Mississippi River on the Channel Cat taxi all day Tween Video Game Workshop- Starting May 9 to June 13 every Saturday with unlimited use. Buy your tickets on board the Channel Cat or at Centre from 2:30PM-4:00PM. at the Moline Public Library at 3210 41st Street has a Station at 1200 River Drive in Moline. Tickets prices are Adults are $6, Chilworkshop. Teens and Tweens from grades 5 on up can participate in “Project dren are $3 (age 2–10) and Children under two ride free. There are four sites Next Generation: Dream, Design, Deliver” to teach students how to design to board the Channel Cat. See the schedule at www.gogreenmetro.com/ their own video games. This program is free and no experience is necessary maps-and-schedules/channel-cat-taxi/ or call (309)788-3360 for more inforbut registration is required. Bus passes will be given out to registered stumation. dents. For more information or to register contact Jan LaRoche at jlaroche@molinelibrary.org or call 309-524-2470. Quad Cities Criterium- May 25 (Memorial Day) in the Village of East Davenport at 2107 East 11th Street has events while watching the 50th Quad City Beaux Arts Fair- May 9-10 at the Figge Art Museum plaza at 225 W. 2nd Criterium. The Kids Play area will have bouncy houses available and the Kids Street in Davenport on Saturday 10:00 AM- 5:00 PM and Sunday at 10:00 AM Races are right before the Pro Men's Race. Visit http:// - 4:00 PM. Artist will display their Paintings, Jewelry, Pottery, Woodworking, quadcitiescriterium.com/ for times and information. Metal Sculptures, Stained Glass, Photography and more. Come see the artist’s work and buy some great food from the food venders. Parking and Summer Reading Program Kickoff Party- May 30th from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM admission to the Fair is free. See www.beauxartsfair.com for more infortake your little to at the Fairmount Library at 3000 N Fairmount Street in mation. Davenport to sign up for the annual Summer Reading Program called “Every Hero Has a Story” so they can learn how to be a superhero! Call (563) 326Kid's Craft Day - May 16 from 10 AM to 4 PM at the John Deere Pavilion at 1400 7832 for more information.