May 21st, 2011 will be the first annual “Chalk The Walk” outdoor sidewalk chalk art exhibition in downtown Muscatine.  If you are interested in participating as an artist, performer, or volunteer, contact Flynn Collier at fcollier@diamondtownsofamerica.com or 563-571-1281.  Make sure to follow this link for further details!

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Free Family Fun

at the Riverfront Park

April 16, 2011 1-4pm Bing, Boom, Bang

Build your own percussion instrument out of provided materials and join in

on an instructed drum circle. Trash cans, buckets, handmade drums, and lots of fun!

May 14, 2011 1-4pm Arr Matey!

Make your pirate hat and eye patch to get ready to find the buried treasure. Learn how to use a compass and a map in order to track down pirate treasure. Watch live pirates perform song, dance, and Sword fighting!

June 18, 2011 1-4pm Puppet Playhouse Theater

Craft your very own puppet from a paper bag, sock, or stick with tons of fun accessories. Climb into the puppet theater box with your friends and put on a show!

July 16, 2011 4-7pm Royal Blast

Create your own castle out of cardboard craft materials, play in the large cardboard castles, or defend your kingdom in a water battle. Learn about great castles throughout the ages and enjoy live performances.

August 20, 2011 4-7pm Time to Fly

Make a stomp rocket, paper airplane, or a kite in these guided activities with live entertainment.

September 17, 2011 4-7pm Yeah! Beans!

Glue beans to cardboard templates to make a mosaic, or do your own freestyle artwork. Learn about the types, history, and culture of many beans in the bean booth. Enjoy live music entertainment and play the bean bag toss games!

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Portable Sound System

Check out this portable sound system for your non-profit organization events. This complete system includes speakers, tripods, mixer amp, and microphones (including wireless).  The whole unit latches together into a carrying case for easy transportation.

Gallery and Hall sound system

A sound system with 11 speakers completely surrounds the gallery and hall area in our upstairs.  This can be used for adding music to your event or vocal amplification with a wireless microphone.

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2011 Brain Freeze winners

Want to be a competitor?

Send your name, email address, and phone # to fcollier@diamondtownsofamerica.com

Make a response video to our youtube video on your training efforts, or how you plan to win!

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Help shape the character of Muscatine’s health profile. Volunteer to lead the Health Facet Action Team of Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence.   Click here for details of this position.

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Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence

Background: The Health Facet Action Team Leader is the community subject matter expert and primary interface between the Facet Consultant of Diamond Towns of America and the Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence Health Action Team. This can be a part-time or full-time position.

Goals: Guide, advise, and support the members of the Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence Health Action Team.

Responsibilities of the Position:

Under the direction of the Diamond Towns Facet Consultant and the Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence Community Facilitator, the responsibilities of this position include the following:

• Assemble an action team of individuals with passion and community energy who are determined to improve the Community’s performance in the Community Health facet.

• Direct and lead the Health Facet Action Team in achieving Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence’s Community goals.

• Provide leadership and direction in identifying target objectives for the Health Facet Action Team

• Provide leadership, support and resources for the Health Facet Action Team in recruiting work group members, identifying needed activities, defining metrics and success, and moving the group along in an orderly and rapid manner.

• Advise the Community Facilitator on Health Facet Action Team goals and objectives

• Develop necessary messages of a public awareness campaign.

• Develop or assist in developing materials for publicity, newsletters, annual report & resource materials.

• Meet with potential volunteers and constituent groups to determine their needs and explain the Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence strategies and benefits, which may be appropriate for them.

• Provide systems and strategies to handle potential volunteer inquiries.

• Oversee the maintenance of a database of volunteers, resources, and organizations.

• Comply with organizational by-laws and accounting practices as well as state and federal statutes.

• Assure that the goals and objectives of the Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence initiative are carried out.

• Work with the Community Facilitator and the Health Facet Consultant to assure that facet objectives are met.

• Coordinate Health Facet activities with those of other Facet Work Groups to minimize duplication and eliminate missed opportunities for comprehensive community planning and development.

• Produce timely and coherent reports on Health Facet Action Team activity.

Skills and Talent: The Facet Action Team Leader should possess these skills and talents:

• Effective oral and written communicator.

• Computer literate.

• Strong administrative and organizational skills.

• A self-starter.

• Ability to supervise and motivate others.

• Ability to handle multiple tasks.

• Project a professional image.

• A team player.

• Committed to the betterment of the communities served by the Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence Initiative.

Education, Knowledge and Experience:

• Knowledge of community resources and assets.

• College degree or equivalent work experience with emphasis in facet assets and issues.

• Knowledge of philanthropic groups and local non-profit organizations dealing with the applicable facet activities and issues.

• Experience with community fundraising a plus.

• A track record of continual self-improvement in his or her area of expertise.

Relationships:

• Reports to the Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence Community Facilitator.

• Must maintain positive and cooperative relationships with other facet action teams and organizations that are active in the Health facet activities and issues.

• Must maintain positive relations with area professionals that serve Health facet assets and resources.

• Must maintain positive relations with donors and potential donors.

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Click here to download this link

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Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence has produced tourism videos for the city of Muscatine.  Check them out here!

Information on Muscatine and what it offers to tourists, as well as members of the community, continues to be refined. Want to be a part of this venture? Attend the Economic Vitality meetings (see calendar for dates and times).  You are welcome to be a part of this committee. Currently, the video highlights these categories: Family, Historical & Cultural, and Education.  The in-depth videos include Annual Events, Downtown Retail, History & Industry Center, Discovery Park, Pine Creek Grist Mill, Art Center, and Flickinger Learning Center.

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Pearl City Nutrition Initiative Coalition (PiCNIC)

Sponsored by the Heirloom Foundation & Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence

Monday, July 12, 2010

Present: Becky Each, Jim Hahn, Lori Carroll, Niki Nienhaus, Tom Huber, Paul Carroll, Dona Pearce

A review was done of who is maintaining each site:

• HyVee – Scott, manager Garden Center (large store)
• Jesus Mission – Naomi Kautz
• Flickinger Learning Center – Paul Brooks
• MCSA – ?
• Community Y – Brett Olson (Tom H. will call)
• Crossroads – Dave Carson, counselor
• Salvation Army – Jon Kiser & youth group
• Jim Hahn’s site – Tompkins

In-ground gardens will be used for the balance of the plants still available. Tom & Niki will check with Chad Yocom to see if they can be planted at Sunset Park.

Balance of signage will be distributed between the Salvation Army, Sunset Park and the Jesus Mission.

The group wants to have raised bed gardens scattered around the school district. The plan is to have the gardens built by shop classes in time to plant food that is harvested in the fall. Niki and Tom will talk to Jan Collinson to move forward on getting gardens at school sites.

A brief overview was given of the Friday meeting in Ames with ISU.

Becky mentioned the extension office will be offering training for two programs this fall: Growing in the Garden for preschool – age 3 and Living in our World for 4th through 6th graders.

Becky also mentioned Jane Todey and her letter to the editor regarding strengthening families and issues of obesity and other health issues.

Becky is exploring an extension program called Powerful Tools for Caregivers – Training the Trainers that will have training sessions this fall in two communities: Ames, September 29 and 30th; and Washington, IA, October 5 and 6th.

The next meeting will be held THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, at 12 p.m. at 129 W. 2nd. This will be a brown bag lunch meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Dona Pearce
Office Manager
Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence
dpearce@diamondtownsofamerica.com

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