QUAD CITIES, USA – Rotary District 6420 Inbound Exchange Students had a blast during the 2017 Quad Cities Youth Exchange Weekend, held Saturday November 18, 2017. Hosted each November by the Moline, Rock Island, and River Cities Rotary Clubs the QCYE Weekend aims to provide our inbound students with a weekend of cultural experiences, fun, and an opportunity to share their exchange experiences.
Students arrived Saturday morning in Moline and attended the Quad City Arts Festival Holiday Parade in Davenport, IA., the annual kick off of the holiday season in the Quad Cities. After the parade students visited the Davenport Skybridge, a suspended pedestrian enclosed walkway overlooking the Mississippi River, where they learned about the Mississippi, Lock & Dam 14, and nearby U.S. Army base The Rock Island Arsenal.
Students then attended the annual Quad City Arts Council Festival of Trees, a holiday exposition of custom designed holiday trees, crafts, and goodies, held at the Davenport RiverCenter.
Students moved on to Moline for a tour of the John Deere Pavilion Museum at John Deere Commons, where students enjoyed a guided tour and learned about the importance of American agriculture and the role of John Deere Company in world business and agriculture. Students shopped the John Deere Store where everything John Deere, including clothing, toys, and collectables is available. The John Deere experience was capped with a short visit to John Deere World Headquarters in Moline.
Students were then treated to hours of fun and food at the Quad Cities Family Entertainment Center, Moline, where they competed in an “international bowling tournament”, enjoyed pizza & pop, fought a vigorous laser tag battle, and played arcade games.
Finally the students retired to the beautiful 100 year old Italian Renaissance style home of Rock Island Rotarians John and Sandy Daly, where they enjoyed snacks, games, and all night fellowship. Students concluded the weekend with Sunday morning breakfast before departing back to their host cities until the next district event. View memories of the weekend on our district youth exchange Facebook page – Rotary District 6420 Youth Exchange 2017-18.
Thanks to Rotarians Gary Francque, Jeff Dismer, Molly Shattuck, and Mary Beth Eggers, and Rebound students Abby Quinn and Sarah Mason for hosting and driving the exchange students, and to Rotarian John and Sandy Daly for hosting the students overnight in their home.
