Listen to this article

Fresh off of a high-profile fundraising run by its operations director, Clock Inc. is offering at least four special events and fundraisers coming up through November, and a slew of other support services.

Here’s a rundown of news bits from the LGBT+ community center in Rock Island that serves the greater Quad Cities region with LGBTQ+ affirming support groups, a transgender clothing closet, voice lessons for transgender people, counseling services, social events, and more:

Art With Atticus

Oct. 8 and Nov. 12, 7 p.m.

These are your last two chances this year to join at Clock Inc. for intuitive painting with Black Hawk College graduate Atticus Norman. It’s part of a program funded by Quad City Arts that is intended to help participating painters “express and release their emotions through their own individual creativity.” Donations are requested but not required and help fund Art With Atticus programs year-round. Space is limited; sign up here.

Coming Out Day Open Mic

Oct. 11 (Friday), 7 p.m.

You’re invited to share your story of “coming out” as an LGBTQ+ person, or to come hear others share theirs, in another annual tradition for Clock Inc. This free event is expected to feature music, poetry and more from community members.

Open House

Nov. 2 (Saturday), Noon to 4 p.m.
Here’s your chance to check out the Clock Inc. headquarters at 4102 46th Ave, Rock Island, while also enjoying snacks. Clock Inc. will also offer styling assistance to those visiting its gender-affirming clothing closet. 

QC Icon

Nov. 22 (Friday), 7 p.m.
This new fundraising event for Clock Inc.  will feature at least five local community celebrities vying for the favor of a judges’ panel and the audience, plus another batch of community awards. Held at Rock Island’s historic Skylark, 4401 7th Ave., the event so far features Mary Quite Contrary’s House of Burlesque founder Mary Francis; Daisy Moran, director of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence with the Quad Cities Community Foundation; Quad Cities area actress Emma Regnier; Bettendorf High School Choir Director Chase Shoemaker; and Augustana College Assistant to the President Kai Swanson. In addition to the contestants’ fundraising efforts, door proceeds of $25 will also benefit Clock Inc. Space is limited;  Click here to get your tickets. Watch the Facebook event page for more information.

More ways to get involved

Here are three other ways to get involved with Clock Inc., located at 4102 46th Ave., Rock Island:

Advertisement

• Donate to the gender affirming clothing closet (clothes accepted from smoke-free homes only)

• Participate in gender-affirming voice lessons provided at Clock Inc. by Augustana College.

• Attend one of Clock Inc.’s support groups, for ages ranging from youth to adult and for transgender, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ people, parents and families.

Peters exceeds $10,000 marathon fundraising goal

Clock Inc. has been celebrating its operations director’s successful fundraising run in the Quad Cities Marathon Sept. 22. Adam Peters, who started as operations director at Clock Inc. in 2021, raised $11,000 this year — $1,000 more than his original goal — through sponsorships of his run in the 26.2-mile event along with a video and social media campaign before, during and after the run. Clock Inc. also announced on its Facebook page that Peters has raised a total of $24,000 over three years of converting his marathon run into a fundraiser for the nonprofit he helps lead. Peters was also recently named one of the Quad Cities’ “Forty Under Forty,” an honor bestowed by the Quad Cities Business Journal on young adults making a difference in the Quad Cities through business success and philanthropic activity.

For more information about the nonprofit and its programs, see clockinc.org, its Facebook page, or Instagram.