Quad Cities Live, Aug. 3

Live from the KWQC Broadcast Center in downtown Davenport with Morgan OTA and Kyle Keel. This is Quad Cities Live. Today on QCL, serving with purpose, we'll learn more about the impact of United Way's annual Day of Caring. Plus, there's a lot to look forward to this fall at your local library. Cole Valley is kicking off the new school year with a series of book clubs for every age. And a preview of alternating currents, the four-day festival bringing more than 200 performances to more than 40 venues across three downtowns. And that's where we begin today on Quad cities live. Thank you for joining us. I'm Morgan OTA. Alternating Currence is back again this year from August 13th through the 16th. The Quad Cities will come alive with performances of all kinds. From live music, comedy, film, art installations, there is something happening on every corner. Joining us now with an overview of what to expect is festival director Alicia Espy. Alicia, welcome back to the show. Thanks for having me. It's my favorite time of year. Well, we just had you here. I'm talking about some Bix festivities and now we're kind of rounding the corner a little bit, we're getting into alternating currents, which is very exciting for most people, but if there are folks out there watching who have never experienced alternating currents before, how would you describe this festival? What makes it kind of stand apart? Yeah, so the biggest thing is we have such a big variety of things. So yes, it's music, film, comedy, art. We kind of have it all, and we try to offer something for everyone, and I'd say the thing that makes it stand out. compared to other festivals is of course that there's no ticket required. You just kind of show up and you can show up in more than 50 places this year. Yes, it's a lot of fun for people. It's like to get record spots at like seeing, you know, all the different music performances that are happening. You really have to plan out your schedule, which we'll get into. But this year is impressive. So we mentioned more than 200 performances at 40 plus venues. So how do you even begin to coordinate something like this all over the Quad Cities Metro. It would take a long time to explain, but the gist of it is we have a venue application every year. And so between the downtowns, Bentendorf, Rock Island, and Davenport, we kind of plan the venues first. Yeah. And then from there, I really start building out the schedule of like what I think would fit. Okay. And so we have like a base schedule of time frames and then we move on in book from there. But there's like some natural things where it's like, well, you can't have somebody playing at Great River at the same time. you have something going on at the last picture house because some sound issues. So you have to think about it in like pockets. Yeah. Well, I think that's incredibly impressive that you and your team are able to do that. It is a lot of coordination. So this variety of venues, as I mentioned, it really allows us to plan our schedule and just discover, you know, over that four-day period. And that's kind of the point of all this. Yeah, we always talk about it being a festival of discovery. And so I think naturally a lot of people lean in on that with the artist because we offer so many different genres. So, and we've had a lot of up-and-coming talent usually. It's people like we would say, see the next big thing. So I hope you discover some talent that you maybe didn't have never heard of before. But the other thing is, is I hope that you

you know, a sense of place. We activate our downtowns. The downtown organizations are the ones that organize this festival and the whole purpose is that I want you to discover community while you're attending the festival. I love that and that was a question I had planned on asking you at some point was this idea of place making. So what does that mean in the grand scheme of things not just for downtown Davenport but the Quad Cities as a whole? Yeah, I mean place making and place management is something that we do every day. is actually the oldest Smith district in Iowa. So we've been doing this a long time. But it's also like it's evolved over time. So it's more than just, you know, making sure the streets are clean and we put up the flower baskets and, you know, we attract businesses. The events is what drives people downtown. So whether it's Bix or alternating currents, that's a big part of, you know, what we do and try to attract people to come downtown. Yeah, it's a really special time. currents and we want to mention again that nearly everything if not pretty much everything is free when it comes to this festival so describe why that accessibility is so important and remains you know so important for everyone yeah we just believe that the arts is something that should be open for everyone to experience and so and we have so many great cultural amenities downtown so this is like our chance to really show it off so if you haven't had the opportunity to you know go inside the figgy or of our cultural institutions, we just want to open up the doors and get people inside. So we have some great sponsors and people that give us grants that help allow us to do it, but that it's just such a big component in what makes this festival just different than anything else. I think there's also just kind of an overwhelming sense of appreciation as an alternating current festival goer. I know that's something that I have felt like you're kind of standing there, you're watching this live music and this really cool space. whether it's, you know, the loading dock at Mississippi River Distilling Company. I think that's so cool. And you kind of just, you know, you're overwhelmed with this like, you know, how did I get all of this and how do I deserve all of this, you know? And it is a special feeling being a quad citizen in those moments, I think. And you guys have all done a wonderful job. putting it together. I am glad you feel that way and you deserve it. It's just such a vibrant time. Yes, it really is, Alicia. Well, thank you. And Alicia is really helping us out on QCL over the next couple of weeks. We're going to be talking more about alternating currents and maybe seeing some performances as well. So stay tuned for that. And be sure to download the alternating currents app because that is incredibly helpful when you are making your way around the different downtowns checking things out. Alicia, I'm sure we'll see you again soon, but thank you so much for joining us today. Thanks for having us. Yes, absolutely. Coming up on QCL, a day dedicated to volunteering where community members roll up their sleeves and get to work on important projects and how you can get involved in the United Way Quad Cities Day of Caring. Next. Quad Cities Live continues. A mission of United Way Quad Cities is mobilizing the community to action, and a good example of that is United Way's Day of Caring. Every year, more than a thousand people come together on a single day to make an impact. And this year, that special day is set for Thursday, September 10th.

What excites me about Day of Caring is that it is a community-wide event. You have people from companies, you have individuals, you've got school groups that are taking part of their day or all of their day. to work on a project. Some of the projects are for four people. Some of the projects are for a hundred people. And what we're doing is taking one day and really focusing on moving these organizations forward toward their mission. It's one day that you take out of your company time and your employees' time that has significant impact on the nonprofits in our community. There are agencies which submit projects for Day of Caring that are real needs for them. We're taking things off their plate so that they can do what their experts at and move their mission forward. United Way of Quad Cities coordinates all of that. You're not out there having to go find the opportunity, mobilize your team, sign them up. You know, we have a great partner with United Way that does that for us. It is frictionless. I've done blanket tying for new mothers who just can't afford that type of thing. I've worked at the food pantry. I've read to little kids. I mean... You can be a part of anything that you want to be a part of that really hits right here and get back to the Quad Cities. There is such a huge variety. There's a lot of outdoor work. A lot of organizations have buildings that they need to take care of, and that's not their main mission is taking care of their building, but they need those things done. The opportunities... really are so varied, and there's really something for everybody at Day of Caring. We have seven different operating companies, and a lot of the employees of that company don't get the chance to interact with their other companies. Something like Day of Caring gives the employees of those companies the chance to interact with their coworkers that they might not have had the opportunity otherwise. We're not usually talking about work, to be honest. We're learning about each other. We're learning about our families. We're learning about experiences. Usually we are bonding and creating relationships because we are experiencing this opportunity together very differently than we would do in the office. It builds the team and strengthens the organization. because they have the opportunity to meet and get to know and possibly make friends with people they might not have had that same opportunity. We're giving our young leaders exposure to our community, exposure to the opportunities, but then it gives them the chance to lead differently. You know, depending on their job at work, they may not be leading projects. They may not be learning and then leading how to solve a completely new problem.

You know, it helps employees take initiative to lead projects that you might not have ever been a part of. It helps to build networking within the Quad Cities. And so, I mean, any company that's kind of on the fence as to whether this is worth it or whether it's, you know, a return on their investment to send employees out or invest, it absolutely is. When your employees see an investment in the community, they know that you have heart. And employees want to work for companies that have heart. They want to work for companies that care. Every time a decision like this has come our way, there's never been a time where we regretted it. You can't disconnect John Deere from the Quad Cities. You can't disconnect any of the companies here from the community. It's a lot of places where we live, we work. The Quad Cities is at the heart of that. It really is. In order to attract and retain talent, the Quad City community as a place that people want to live is a big part of that equation. The Rise United 2030 strategy is big picture goals to increase grade level reading. For education, increasing the number of young adults earning a living wage, so establishing better financial security and also improving the health and mental health of the citizens in the Quad Cities. So those are big picture goals. No one can do those. Not one agency or one person can do those on their own. By using data and funding and volunteerism to amplify those organizations, then we're all succeeding. By bringing the volunteers together. We view it as a rising tide lifts all boats. So why not? Why not engage and expose your employees to the community, to opportunities, and get them inspired? You don't have to be the Fortune 100 company. You don't even have to be a part of a company. Just be an individual who wants to give back to their community, and anybody can join this. United Way isn't doing this alone. Our organizations aren't doing this alone. Our companies aren't doing it alone. Our schools aren't doing it alone. It takes community. My hope for Day of Caring is that more and more people will get involved. But I think my bigger hope is that it sparks relationships between people and organizations so that we do have long-lasting relationships, which is going to lead to long-lasting change. Day caring. has always existed for me. I've been with Dear 22 years, but I don't remember a year where it wasn't a part of our annual process to go do this as a team. Every time I'm grateful that we had the opportunity, I'm grateful that we said yes. At the end of the day, it feels great.

Coming up next on Quad Cities Live, a closer look at the volunteer opportunities available for United Way's Day of Caring and how easy it is to sign up. You're watching Quad Cities Live. Everyday local organizations are working to make the Quad Cities community stronger. But one special day each year brings hundreds together to lend a helping hand all at once. United Way Quad Cities Day of Caring is the region's largest single day of volunteer service, connecting businesses, nonprofits, and community members for projects that make an immediate impact. Joining me today is Ryan Sumpf, Chief Impact Officer for United Way Quad Cities and Jennifer Lovora Cummins from Royal Neighbors of America. Ryan and Jennifer, thank you so much for... chatting with me today. Yeah, thank you for the time. Yes, well that was a beautiful piece that we just watched on really the impact of the United Way, United Way Quad Cities. But Ryan, let's kind of start there for anybody who may have missed some of that or maybe they're unfamiliar. So what is United Way's Day of Caring and really why is it so important for our community? Yeah, so you mentioned United Way Day of Caring is our single day of community-wide impact that we drive. with more than a thousand volunteers, nearly 100 projects across the Quad Cities. And we see great corporate partners working with us, whether it's Estes, Construction, TBK Bank, Crawford Company, you name it. And then of course we're joined here with Royal Neighbors. So it's just a great day where people are giving back to make some impact where it's needed the most. Absolutely. And just there you named some really great organizations, some companies here. in the Quad Cities. So that kind of brings me to my next question for you is who can participate? Do you need to do this through your workplace or are the other ways? Yeah, that's a great question. So anyone can participate is open to the whole community. But we really encourage folks, especially if you're a leader at a company, to gather a team of like-minded folks that want to go volunteer together, share some time making a positive impact in the community. And it's super easy to do. do. Okay. So with that said, Jennifer, tell us a little bit about Royal Neighbors of America and why it's so important. important that you partake in this day of caring. Yeah. At Royal Neighbors, we're excited to be sponsoring the Day of Caring because it's really a natural extension of what Royal Neighbors is all about, which is ensuring lives, supporting women, and serving our communities. So we're excited to just be able to be a part of that, gather a group of people and serve our community. Yeah. And volunteerism is really a big part of the workplace culture at Royal Neighbors of America. So from your perspective, what happens when employees volunteer together? Yeah, so volunteerism has been at the heart of rural neighbors for more than 130 years. And with that, we are big proponents of getting out into the community and volunteering and making an impact in the smallest and biggest ways you possibly can. We believe that one day of volunteerism can spark a lifetime of volunteerism. So we just encourage you to get out and pick something that you would like and bring friends or coworkers. Yeah. And it's just kind of a change of pace too. It's a change of scenery for, you know, for a lot of people just to get out there along.

their coworkers do something a little bit different. Exactly. Yeah. So there are tons of projects, volunteer projects available, Ryan. So tell us a little bit about some of those. We have some photos, you know, scrolling across our screen right now. I mean, people are doing all kinds of things. Yeah, people are all over the community. There are opportunities all across the Quad Cities, as a matter which side of the river that you're on. But there are opportunities to go out and be physical, build things, you know, whether it's painting. Might be doing some landscaping, things like that around some of our nonprofits. It's also some hands-on more soft skills opportunities. So there's opportunities to mentor some students in the Quad Cities. So really it doesn't matter what you enjoy to do. There's an opportunity out there that probably fits your side. Sure. That was going to be one of my questions. If you're somebody who looks at yourself and says, I'm not super handy. I don't know if this is going to be the right. volunteer opportunity for me. I think you kind of clarified it. There truly is something for everyone, depending on whatever your gift is that you can pass along. Yeah, there absolutely is. And, you know, United Way, we're very focused on education, financial security, and health. So, you know, it doesn't matter if you want to do something that's really education focus. If you want to do something that's maybe a little more focused on supporting folks that are trying to access health care, there really are. opportunities no matter what your interests are. Wonderful. Well, I want to thank you both for chatting with me today and I want to let everybody watching know that there are dozens and dozens of projects to get involved in on Thursday, September 10th as part of the United Way Quad Cities Day of Caring. If you want to learn more or get yourself signed up to volunteer, visit United Waycc.org. Thank you both for being here today and talking with us and I think, you know, a month from now, it's really going to make a big impact. So thank you very much. Coming up, summer may be winding down, but there's still plenty to look forward to once the school year begins. The Cole Valley Public Library is here with a look at the September book club opportunities in store. That's next. You're watching Quad Cities Live. If you've been looking for a reason to read more this fall, the Coal Valley Public Library has you covered, whether you're introducing little ones to the joys of reading or wanting to connect with other parents. There's a book club for just about everyone. Kaylee Floyd is here to tell us about the library's lineup kicking off in September. These all sound great. Kaylee, thank you so much for being here. Oh, yeah, thanks for having me. Yes. You have really made this very inclusive for all age groups, so I'm excited to get into it, starting with the Caterpillar to Monarch Book. club. That one starts right at the beginning of September. Yeah. So who is this one for? This one is for our younger age groups, more aiming towards like our kindergarten through second grade ages. We actually did this one last year, so we're bringing it back because it's a well-love program. We pick books from the upcoming year's Monarch List awards winners. Yes. So these are a few that I have set up here and we'll do like a fun hands-on activity, whether it's a craft or some enrichment activity. I did kind of give an example. This book, Ursula Upside Down, is all about looking at things from a different perspective. So the kids would get a chance to make one thing and then turn it into something else. So in this case, it's a rainbow. And then if you open it, it turns into like a little sailboat. Oh my gosh. That's so cute. So sometimes, yeah, we'll just do different hands-on activities that go with the books. That is so much fun. And really a way to get some of our younger kids interested in practicing their reading. It's so important at that age.

Up next is Series Book Club, the first one being September 9th at 2 p.m. So who is this for? This is for more of our elevated readers, ones that are really into all their books and are practicing and are kind of past the picture book stage. It doesn't mean it has to be a certain age group. It could just be a certain level of reader. So these are a nice step up. There are series books. They all are labeled with the green tag at our library and they're on our spinners. a different book from those spinners to read each time. Okay, so yes, right before we got started, we were talking about Junie B. Jay Jones being popular in my house. And yes, there are many Judy B. Jay Jones books, so a good series there. A graphic novel tween book club. This is a really fun one to include. And we hear this a lot from our local libraries. Comic books, graphic novels, if you will, this is reading. So if this is what your kids are interested in, go for it. Absolutely. And that tween age is kind of hard and can drop off a little bit when participating in reading book clubs and stuff. So this is a great way to bring them back is appeal to them. Yeah. Find something that they're going to love and we thought graphic novels would be one of them. So definitely join us. Definitely join in on that one. Twins thrills and chills teen book club. This is a fun one. So this would have been right up my alley. I loved all the kind of like creepy horror books and things like that. So Miss Kylie at the library loves all those spooky things. So this is going to be up her alley as well. And so it's going to be any kind of mystery thriller and some horror if you can handle it. So yeah, we just have a couple different selections. We used to do our pizza and pages and we're kind of just taking a new turn this year. So we'll see how it goes. Hopefully we'll get some other thrill seekers in there as well. What's funny about that is I think I've read every book that you have laid out to display that genre today. So that's super funny. moms who read. So this is a play date book club and boy oh boy is this needed. Yes, definitely. And it's like personal to me because I'm a new mom. So I'm like I love reading but I always don't make time for it unless it's a book club. And so I thought what other moms might out there might want to be reading but just don't have that drive and what better way than starting a book club for them. And also a place for your children to play. That's the hardest part is. A lot of the clubs are in the evening. So we wanted to offer one in the morning and give a chance for the moms who can't find a babysitter, bring them. They'll play, they'll be noise, but you're getting to still enjoy something that might have been lost after having kids. Such a good feeling and maybe make some parent friends too while you're at it, which is really helpful. And finally, booked for the movies. This one actually begins in August. So this is an adult book club. Yes, this one we're kicking off right away because adults are anytime, right? So they aren't going back to school. So we're doing this one based on movies or show adaptations. It'll be three options each time you come to the club and they'll vote on which one they're going to do. So we have a couple examples here. We love a vote. Okay. Well, beyond the book clubs that we talked about today, there's tons of fun for the whole family happening this month and next at the Coal Valley Public Library. For a closer look at the August calendar, visit robertr Jay Jones Library.org. Kaylee, thank you so much for being here today. Thanks for having me. Yes, and thank you for watching Quad Cities Live today. We will see you Tuesday afternoon at 3.

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