Weekend Events August 12 - 14

Sat., Aug. 12, Viola UMC Ice Cream Social:

Viola United Methodist Church, 1405 18th Ave., Viola, will hold their Annual Ice Cream Social 5 - 7 p.m., Fri., Aug. 12, in the Fellowship Hall. Come enjoy steam burgers, potato salad, baked beans, iced tea, lemonade, coffee, pie and homemade ice cream. Proceeds benefit the church budget. 

Fri. & Sat. Aug. 12-13, Illinois City Days:

Illinois City Days kicks off with a Street Dance Fri., Aug. 12, 8 p.m. - midnight, featuring "Pulse Ox" & "Grazing District," food served 6 p.m. to midnight. Saturday, Aug. 13, events include: Fun Run/Walk (Loud Thunder back to Illinois City), 7 a.m.; Parade, 10 a.m.; then starting at noon is the Antique, Mini Rod & Kiddie Tractor Pulls; Talent Show; and food served all day. All proceeds benefit the Illinois City Fire Department for equipment for the new rescue truck.

Fri. & Sat. Aug. 12-13 Grace Evangelical Free Church:

All children, kindergarten through 6th grade, are invited to Grace Evangelical Free Church "Puppet Camp," Friday and Saturday, August 12 & 13. Sessions each day will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with lunch provided. In this free program, the kids will make puppets using brooms and mops. To pre-register by August 5th, phone 582-5200 or send an e-mail to gracealedoefc@gmail.com.

Sat. & Sun. Aug 13 - 14 Perseid Meteor Shower Observation at Blackthorn Hill:

On Saturday, August 13, at sundown and Sunday, August 14, at 4:45 a.m. (yes, an hour before sunrise), be at Blackthorn Hill for a Perseid Meteor Shower Observation. Saturday will have a beautiful night sky because the full moon rises as the sun sets. Unfortunately, wonderful moonlight makes meteors harder to see. We'll be there anyway for a while after sunset. If you REALLY want to see as many meteors as possible, come Sunday morning at 4:45 a.m., when stars and meteors are most visible. Just come to the Blackthorn Hill parking lot with a chair or blanket. Daniel Thompson will be the host, looking up in the sky. Please come -- more eyes help. Do you want your kids to have this wonderful memory? Be sure and bring them. The sky is free. For directions: blackthornhill.org

Sat. Aug. 13, Great Mississippi River Cleanup:

Living Lands & Waters (LL&W) will launch the third phase of the 2011 Great Mississippi River Cleanup on Saturday, August 13th. Volunteers from the Quad-Cities through Keokuk will help pull garbage out of the waters and onto the shores of Muscatine, Burlington, Ft. Madison and Keokuk, Iowa, and Oquawka, New Boston and Nauvoo, Illinois. The Great Mississippi River Cleanup will remove debris such as tires, barrels, propane tanks, appliances, plastic bottles and more from the waterway. Volunteers will be needed to assist in debris collection on the day of the cleanup. If possible, LL&W is also looking for people who are willing to haul debris in their boats to the boat launch where roll-off dumpsters or other disposal facilities will be in place. For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, please visit: www.livinglandsandwaters.org

Sat. Aug. 13, New Boston, Living Lands & Waters River Cleanup Locally:

Living Lands & Waters Annual Mississippi River Cleanup launches Sat., August 13th. Volunteers from the Quad Cities through Keokuk will help pull garbage out of the waters and onto the shores of Muscatine, Burlington, Ft. Madison and Keokuk in Iowa and at Oquawka, New Boston and Nauvoo in Illinois. Locally, in New Boston, volunteers will meet at the picnic shelter & boat landing, beginning at 8:30 am for sign up. Cleanup efforts will be from 9 am - noon. Remember to wear long pants & long-sleeved shirts. Food will be served following the cleanup at Fish Fry Park. If you have any questions, contact Sharon at 309-587-8356.

Sat. Aug. 13, Viola UMC Movie Night:

Viola United Methodist Church will host Movie Night, Sat., Aug. 13, beginning at 6:30 p.m. "Soul Surfer" wil be shown in the Fellowship Hall and refreshments will be served. If you like, you may bring a lawn chair. A free will offering will be taken with proceeds benefitting the College Scholarship Fund.

Sun. Aug. 14, 1st Baptist Church of Joy:

The 1st Baptist Church of Joy will hold "Cowboy Church" on Sunday, August 14th, at the Joy Park. Horses can be unloaded starting at 9 a.m. There will be a devotional service at 10 a.m. with Gospel singing by Randy Koch. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be served afterward followed by a blessing of the horses. Everyone is welcome. 

Sun. Aug. 14, Amateur Radio Licensure:

The Muscatine Area Volunteer Examiners will be testing for all classes of amateur radio operator licenses on Sunday, August 14th, at 1:30 p.m. at the Flickinger Learning Center, 413 Mulberry Avenue, Muscatine. (Use the 5th Street parking lot and entrance across from Hy-Vee Drugstore.) For more information: visit muscatinehams.org.