Happy Friday everyone! While we are off this coming Monday for our Board meeting, we are back on schedule for our regular meeting on Monday, July 27th, where Julie Larson from the YWCA of the Quad Cities will be our guest speaker. As your editor was out last week, Joan's message refers to our meeting of July 6th. Now on to the message from President Joan!

"What a fantastic week for the Kiwanis Club of Rock Island! A huge thank you to Dr. Norm Moline for another incredibly informative and engaging presentation. His program, Central Asia: At the Center of Eurasia's Physical Geography and Cultural History, took us on a fascinating journey through a part of the world many of us know very little about. We could have listened to Norm share his knowledge and stories for the rest of the day!Thank you for continuing to educate and inspire our members.

We also have exciting news from Birdies for Charity! Thanks to the generosity of 19 Kiwanis members, we raised $3,840 in pledges which is an increase of nearly 6% over last year! Way to go, Kiwanis Team! Every dollar helps us continue supporting scholarships, grants, youth leadership, and service projects throughout our community. We'll be excited to learn our bonus fund amount later this year. A huge thank you to Jeff Condit for championing this fundraiser.

Now it's time to turn our attention to one of our favorite annual projects: The Kiwanis Bike Give-A-Way!

Each year, we partner with the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, QC AIR, World Relief, and the Rock Island-Milan School District to provide bikes to youth and families who rely on them for transportation, recreation, and independence. Our goal this year is to donate at least 20 bikes, each complete with a helmet and lock. The bikes, recommended by the Quad Cities Bicycle Club, cost approximately $175 each.

We're excited to share that two Kiwanis members have already stepped forward to sponsor an entire bike each! Would you like to help us put another bike into the hands of a child or family in need? We'd love your support! Reach out to us to learn how you can sponsor a bike or contribute toward this meaningful project.

Together, we're making a difference- one program, one fundraiser, and one act of service at a time."

Sincerely,
President Joan

Announcements

Upcoming Programs:

Monday, July 20th Board Meeting
Monday, July 27th YWCA of the Quad Cities
Monday, August 3rd Teresa Massa, Quad City Plus 60 Club
Monday, August 10th Akton Club of the Quad Cities
Monday, August 17th Board Meeting
Monday, August 24th Connie Dudgeon, American Red Cross of the QC and Northwest IL
Monday, August 31st No Meeting
Monday, September 7th Labor Day - No Meeting
Tuesday, September 8th State of the Schools Address with RI Rotary