Press Conference for Transportation Equity Summit

Attendance at our press conference was a little sparse this morning - I think the press was engaged with President Obama out at Atkinson, Illinois. But our turn out of community leaders was impressive and representative of the wide base of support we are getting for the Transportation Equity Summit at Bethel Wesley United Methodist Church in Moline tomorrow night - August 18 at 6:30 pm.

From right to left we are: Tad Birdet of Antioch Baptist Church Hope House and the Rock Island NAACP, Kent Ferris of the Diocese of Davenport, Rev. Julio Alvarado, Associate pastor at Bethel Wesley, Julie Gelaude, Director of the Business Training Center at Blackhawk College, Rev. David Geenen of 15th Avenue Christian Church, that's me at the podium, Minister Glen Evans of Second Baptist Church and Rock Island NAACP, Rev. Sonia Alvarado, Senior Pastor of Bethel Wesley, and Vera Kelly of the Davenport NAACP.

Here is Pastor Geenen outlining the principles of the Transportation Equity Agreement we are asking community groups and government leaders to affirm.

We are all working for a good turn out tomorrow night.

Water Safety Instruction

There has been a lot of activity at the church this summer. One of the touching efforts was the water safety instruction provided by LuAnn McCracken of the Army Corps of Engineers to the families in the Summer Family Literacy program here at the church. She came to teach the group on Monday, July 25.

Following the tragic death of Michen Niyubahwe on the July 4th weekend in the Mississippi River there has been a great desire to provide timely information to the population of refugees and new immigrants who live at Century Woods here in Rock Island. Folks need to know that our local rivers are dangerous. Since families were already coming together here at the church for learning English, summer fun, food and recreation, this was a good place to start.

If we build a relationship first, then learning new things together is possible. I am grateful to be in a place where we are building positive relationship with our new neighbors.