SourceMedia Group News

For immediate release February 28, 2013
Contact: Emily Shields, 515-321-6024
Iowa College Students Donate Spring Break Time to East Coast Recovery

As Iowans know from the 2008 floods, disaster recovery doesn’t happen overnight, and after the camera crews are gone the need for help is not. With this in mind, some Iowa college students are heading east for their spring break to donate their time working on disaster recovery in communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

The trend of “Alternative Spring Breaks,” or spring breaks spent doing community service, started in the 1980s. Participation rapidly accelerated through the 2000s, mostly due to increased interest in helping after large-scale disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. This tradition continues on many campuses in Iowa and will send hundreds of students across the country, even internationally, this spring. Students from Central and Simpson colleges will be heading to the east coast to aid victims of Hurricane Sandy in recovery efforts.

Students at Simpson College will also be heading east for their spring break. March 1-9 eight students will be led by their staff adviser to Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, and Michigan to serve those in need. The group has spent months fundraising for their trip to make it an affordable and worthwhile experience. Their service activities will include tutoring at schools and serving at soup kitchens during the eight day alternative spring break.

“Even though there are only nine of us going on this trip we feel like we can make an impact and hopefully change lives,” said Simpson Sophomore Katie Davis about her hopes for the experience.

Alternative spring break trips provide a great experience for students, offering a chance to gain understanding and perspective of others while contributing community service. A group of 15 Central College students and staff will be headed to Highland Park, New Jersey to serve Indonesian refugees. The group will be housed and fed by the Reformed Church of Highland Park throughout their stay for a very low fee, an option many service trips seek out to make it an accessible experience for all students. Students will be provided with a guide to visit New York City to see the sites when they are not volunteering.

”It is on these trips that many students get ’bit by the service bug’ and continue in life-long pursuits to community connectedness and engagement,” said Kristin Tremper, Assistant Director for Community-Based Learning at Central College.

Several other Iowa colleges and universities are also taking students out of the state to serve in places such as Tennessee, Boston, and Arkansas, as well as international destinations such as Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala. Grinnell College and Wartburg College have added trips due to record numbers of students interested and Buena Vista University will continue their “mystery trip” where students will not know their destination until they leave. If you would like to learn more about the wide variety of alternative spring break opportunities visit our web site at http://www.iacampuscompact.org/alternative-breaks.html.

Iowa Campus Compact (IACC) is a statewide association of college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education by educating students for active citizenship and building strong communities.

More Local Businesses Earn BBB Accreditation

The Better Business Bureau serving Greater Iowa is pleased to announce that the following companies in Linn and Johnson County have been approved and accepted for BBB Accreditation. These firms successfully completed the background check process and voluntarily agreed to work with the BBB in the event a dispute arises with a customer. They have all achieved a BBB Grade of A or A+.

BBB Accreditation is granted voluntarily and businesses must meet and maintain BBB standards. The BBB Reliability Reports for all these companies can be found at http://www.iowa.bbb.org.

Companies earning BBB Accreditation in October 2012 are:

Castle Chimney Sweeps Brian Wagner Owner Cedar Rapids
Five Star Home Improvement Chad Runge Owner Iowa City
Hawker Appraisal Services Inc Chad Hawker President Cedar Rapids
Jodi K’s Woman’s Fashion Boutique Patrick R. Cobb Owner Cedar Rapids
Johnson Gas Appliance & Mendota Hearth Kent Roeder Vice President Cedar Rapids
Mid State Salvage Inc Al Varner Owner Center Point
One Way Financial & Estate Solutions Inc Rick Baskerville President Palo
Rainbow International CR Timothy A. Koch Owner Hiawatha
S & M Concrete Shawn McNamara Owner Cedar Rapids
Slumberland-Iowa City Wally Haedt Owner Iowa City
Taube Excavation Inc Lynda Taube Owner Marion

About the BBB. The BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. The BBB Serving Greater Iowa, Quad Cities and Siouxland Region was founded in 1940 and is one of 116 BBBs. Locally, the BBB has over 3,000 Accredited Businesses and provides reports and on companies throughout the company. Contact the BBB at 1-800-BBB-1600 or info@dm.bbb.org.

More Local Businesses Earn BBB Accreditation

The Better Business Bureau serving Greater Iowa is pleased to announce that the following companies in Linn and Johnson County have been approved and accepted for BBB Accreditation. These firms successfully completed the background check process and voluntarily agreed to work with the BBB in the event a dispute arises with a customer. They have all achieved a BBB Grade of A or A+.

BBB Accreditation is granted voluntarily and businesses must meet and maintain BBB standards. The BBB Reliability Reports for all these companies can be found at http://www.iowa.bbb.org.

Companies earning BBB Accreditation in August and September 2012 are:

American Billboard Entertainment Services, LLC Mr Randy Ranshaw Owner Iowa City
Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Larry Helling President Cedar Rapids
ClickStart Web Design Jeffrey Lowe Owner Marion
Custom Construction Inc Mark Hansen President Oxford
Dan Gardner Drywall Co Dan Gardner Owner Marion
Daryl D. Braun Agency Inc Daryl Braun Owner Marion
Econo Tow April Akers Owner Marion
Neo Computers of Iowa City LLC Gregory Levson Owner Iowa City
Night Train Party Bus Nate Dooley Owner Solon
PCA Painting & Construction Paul Arnold Owner Cedar Rapids
T & W Service LLC Wendi Wallander Owner Ely
TSTR Custom Woodworking Todd Nelson Owner Solon
Wade’s Auto Collision LLC Wade Chevalier Owner Marion
Willging Creative Solutions Dawn Willging Owner Iowa City
World Trend Financial Tory Meiborg President Cedar Rapids

About the BBB. The BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. The BBB Serving Greater Iowa, Quad Cities and Siouxland Region was founded in 1940 and is one of 116 BBBs. Locally, the BBB has over 3,000 Accredited Businesses and provides reports and on companies throughout the company. Contact the BBB at 1-800-BBB-1600 or info@dm.bbb.org.

Card Grading Company in Bettendorf Leaves Sports Fans Empty Handed

The Better Business Bureau serving Greater Iowa, Quad Cities and Siouxland Region is issuing a consumer alert about Global Authority of Bettendorf, IA. According to the company’s website, Global Authority offers “authentication and grading services for a wide spectrum of collectibles.”

The BBB has closed 21 complaints against this company in the last year and has received over 100 inquiries. Global Authority has earned an F rating with the BBB due to failure to respond to complaints, many of which are considered serious in nature.

Consumer complaints primarily allege that after sending trading cards to the company for authentication and grading, Global Authority refuses to return the cards and consumers are unable to reach the company.

One disgruntled customer stated, “I sent them a 1954 wax pack of Bowman Football cards to be graded and encapsulated by them. They sent me confirmation that they received the item and would start the grading process. They did not bill my credit card, but they kept the pack, which is quite valuable. They would never return my calls or emails regarding this.”

The BBB has made several unsuccessful attempts to reach out to the company both by phone and by mail.

The BBB understands that handing over one’s collectibles can be risky business. Personal collections can be of value to their owner for both monetary and sentimental reasons; therefore, the BBB offers the following advice when looking for a reputable authenticating service:

 If possible, look local. There is always an inherent risk in sending valuables through the mail.

 Look for companies with a good reputation in the industry. In the world of sports memorabilia, there are card graders that are known and respected throughout the hobby by the majority of serious collectors.

 Take appropriate measures before mailing your treasures. If you decide to do business with a company that requires you mail your goods, make sure you keep a detailed track of your inventory, insure the package and record your tracking number. Also, make sure your items are adequately covered under your homeowner’s policy, should they not be returned.

Please contact the BBB if you feel you have been a victim of this company. As always, the BBB reminds you to start your search with Trust. Find trustworthy businesses and consumer advice at http://www.iowa.bbb.org.

About the BBB. The BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. The BBB of Greater Iowa, Quad Cities and Siouxland Region was founded in 1940 and is one of 116 BBBs. Locally, the BBB has over 3,000 Accredited Businesses and provides reports and on companies throughout the state. Contact the BBB at 1-800-BBB-1600 or info@dm.bbb.org.

More Local Businesses Earn BBB Accreditation

The Better Business Bureau serving Greater Iowa is pleased to announce that the following companies in Linn and Johnson County have been approved and accepted for BBB Accreditation. These firms successfully completed the background check process and voluntarily agreed to work with the BBB in the event a dispute arises with a customer. They have all achieved a BBB Grade of A or A+.

BBB Accreditation is granted voluntarily and businesses must meet and maintain BBB standards. The BBB Reliability Reports for all these companies can be found at http://www.iowa.bbb.org.

Companies earning BBB Accreditation in June and July 2012 are:

Affordable Plumbing and Remodeling Inc Heidi Karr Owner Cedar Rapids
American Renovations LLC Mike LeClere Owner Center Point
Done Done Services, LLC Patrick Freilinger Owner Cedar Rapids
GSR Solutions LLC Dennis Irey Owner Cedar Rapids
H & H Drywall Inc Mr Larry Holtz President Marion
Mahoney Construction Bradley Mahoney Owner Ely
Nguyen Enterprise Roofing and Construction LLC Nick Nguyen Owner Cedar Rapids
Personal Computer Consultant David Antin Owner Cedar Rapids
Premier Millwright Inc Steven Lint Owner Cedar Rapids
Professional Image Enhancement Teresa Dove Owner Cedar Rapids
RDW Plumbing LLC Robert Walters Owner Mount Vernon
Select Structural Engineering LLC Matthew Miller Owner Cedar Rapids
Senior Transitioning Services Mark Thomsen President Cedar Rapids

About the BBB. The BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. The BBB of Greater Iowa, Quad Cities and Siouxland Region was founded in 1940 and is one of 116 BBBs. Locally, the BBB has over 3,000 Accredited Businesses and provides reports and on companies throughout the company. Contact the BBB at 1-800-BBB-1600 or info@dm.bbb.org.