(bright piano music) - [Female VO] Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home & Crematory, a proud supporter of WQPT, has been serving Quad City families since 1889.

They now have livestream capabilities for viewing your loved one's funeral or memorial service.

- (enchanted piano music) - [Male VO] At IHMVCU, we've always been here for you.

You are and always will be our top priority.

We care about your financial and physical health.

And we are here.

IHMVCU is a proud supporter of WQPT.

- A humanitarian effort, one group's work to bring Afghan refugees to a safe home nearby.

And Bucktown is finally hitting the stage for a new season of laughs and music, in The Cities.

(fast paced rock music) For the past three weeks, the United States has evacuated more than 120,000 people out of Afghanistan.

Many of them Afghan citizens who helped Americans during the 20 year war that ravaged their own country.

Now thousands are located at a military base in Western Wisconsin, just 200 miles north of us.

World Relief has helped hundreds of refugees resettle in the cities in the past, and the organization is trying to help even more today, including those housed at Fort McCoy.

We talk with World Relief's Erica Parrigin about the group's efforts.

What have you heard?

I mean, you know that there's at least 10,000 Afghan refugees just 200 miles away from us.

What have you heard about bringing some here?

- So our office has applied with the Department of State to bring in 150 Afghan humanitarian parolees to the Quad Cities.

And that's by individual, not by family, so 150 people total.

And we are also expecting a large number of Congolese and Burmese refugees on top of that.

- That's very interesting.

Why 150?

Why that number?

- That's what we're confident that we have the resources for currently.

We can expand later, but it's all kind of up in the air at the moment.

- Yeah, very much so.

So if it is 130 families or 130 individuals, I guess is what you're saying, would that be just in the Quad City area or do you coordinate for other area communities?

- That would be in the Quad Cities and within a 50 mile radius.

- And what have you heard as far as the process is concerned?

Because this isn't new to you, you guys deal with the issue of refugees and the resettlement of immigrants all the time.

What makes this particularly special or harder to do?

- So because this is an emergency situation, there isn't really a standard process and everything is happening really quickly.

It's possible that the humanitarian parolees will be in Fort Lee, Fort McCoy, and Fort Bliss for weeks to months.

And because they are humanitarian parolees and not SIVs, it's kind of more complicated.

They have to go through and get their background checks, their vaccines, their biometrics, and employment cards.

Nationally, we have staff on the ground at every fort helping with that, helping with the vetting process.

And then locally, we have some staff going to other World Relief offices to help them with the influx of SIVs, not parolees.

Like Sacramento, World Relief Sacramento is getting a lot of SIVs.

- It seems like World Relief is uniquely positioned to do this?

- Yeah.

So currently what we're doing right now is we're doing a lot of advocacy through the state of Illinois.

On the federal level, our home office is advocating for the humanitarian parolees, that they can obtain the same rights as SIVS and other refugees.

And locally, right now we've basically just been laying the groundwork.

We've been working with foundations, cities, school districts, making things ready for the new arrivals.

And we've also been gathering interpreters and host families.

- World Relief is actually involved in helping a lot of different immigrants and refugees from a number of different countries.

And I think people would be surprised to hear the nations that are so well-represented by your group?

- Yeah.

So in the last couple of years, the majority of refugees have been Congolese and Burmese, but we do get people from all over the world.

- [Jim] And why those two countries, you think?

- There have been a lot of events there in the last couple of years, and people become refugees because they're not safe in their home country.

- And I wanted to talk about that in particular, because you look at these Afghan refugees and they have spent their lives in a war-torn country, 20 years of the Afghanistan war involving Americans, years before it's had either with the Taliban or with Russia.

I mean, it's just a war-torn country.

What do you do for a refugee that is so used to that violence, and then they come to America, which is such a unique country and so much different?

- So 99% of incoming new Americans have faced that kind of trauma because they all come from war-torn countries, like I said.

So they need different mental health services than someone living in the U.S would, purely because of the nature of the trauma and also the language barrier.

Fortunately, we just received funding from the Doris & Victor Day Foundation to start our own pilot mental health program, specifically for refugees.

And that will be headed by one of our staff who is finishing her master's in social work.

And so we will be expanding that program in the coming months.

And if you're a licensed mental health professional, and you're looking to help, please feel free to reach out to us.

- Because that really is so critically important, because you think of refugees arriving and you think, okay, we gotta deal with their material needs, housing, and food.

But really, we have to deal with mental health and the transition from, as we were saying, a war torn nation to an industrial, I guess for the most part, peaceful nation.

- Exactly.

- Let me ask you about that other part.

And that is the needs that World Relief has for these refugees.

What do you hope to collect as well from the public?

- So right now, of course we're always seeking household item donations.

We've had some really generous monetary donations that have been earmarked for helping incoming Afghans.

The biggest need right now is housing.

So we're looking for, within a 50 mile radius on either side of the river, landlords who know anything open to rental, apartments, it could even be hotels.

- Well, I must be honest.

I mean, there is a bit of a housing crunch in the Quad Cities.

It makes it even more difficult if you're bringing refugees here.

- Yeah, yeah.

Especially because everything is happening so fast and there's just going to... We don't really know anything yet.

- The last time I talked to World Relief was early in the year with the new Biden administration and the possibility of easing on numbers of immigrants coming into the U.S after the Trump administration had really cut down on the number of new people becoming Americans.

What have you noticed since the beginning of the year, now that we're into September?

Has there been a larger influx of people that you've had to help assimilate into the Quad City area?

- Yeah.

With the new administration, it's been completely different than it has been for the last four years.

Due to the emergency evacuation right now, there are a lot of refugees from other countries, not specifically Afghanistan, that are supposed to have arrived, but have not.

So president Biden has increased the numbers, but the focus right now is mostly on Afghanistan SIVs and humanitarian parolees.

- And the key though... when you're saying that the emphasis is here, I mean, the key though is the ability to support that.

So if you're bringing in more immigrants, if you're bringing in more refugees, are you also getting more assistance to provide assistance?

- Yes, we have just been absolutely blown away by the community outreach.

We've got people in Muscatine, Geneseo, Eldridge, just reaching out and offering housing and resources.

We've had tons of churches contact us, a lot of people have signed up to volunteer.

And so we're pretty confident that the community will step up.

- So often, it's the faith-based organizations that do really get involved in this.

Are you seeing that once again?

Have people been in contact with World Relief to say, "Look, I understand thousands of Afghanis are coming to the United States.

How could we help?"

- Yeah.

When I'm at the office and I pick up the phone... Well, the phone has been ringing off the hook and we have a whole list of churches that are ready to help as soon as we know something.

- Tell me about the Quad City community, is it generally welcoming to newcomers from people that are refugees, people from other parts of the globe?

- Everybody wants to help, it seems like, and the response has just been absolutely amazing.

We've got people coming in and donating, like I said, everyone is calling and asking, "How can we help?"

And there's just a genuine concern and a genuine want to welcome and be open.

And we're just really appreciative for all the support and all the amazing people here.

- So tell me about for the Fort McCoy refugees, do you have any idea how they might arrive?

Do you expect it to be a small trickle?

One by one?

Or are you expecting at a certain period of time, a number of refugees who'd be released and then a number would arrive here?

- At the moment, we're really not sure.

It just depends on how fast the vetting process happens in Fort McCoy.

- Erica Parrigin with World Relief, located in Moline.

September is now in full swing and the weather has been great as we make the most of the end of summer.

Lora Adams joins us now with some ideas if you plan to go out and about.

- (bouncy music) - This is Out & About for September 9th through 16th.

The Beaux Arts 68th Fall Art Fair takes place at the Figge Art Museum, the 11th and 12th.

And it's time for Taming of the Slough, starting at Sylvan Slough, registration required for the September 12th event.

Check out Geneseo's 15th annual Trains, Planes & Automobiles Festival, the 9th through the 11th.

While the Martin Luther King Center host a Family Fun Day on the 11th.

Enjoy the annual Vintage Football Game at Douglas Park in Rock Island.

And Moeller Nights and RME present Baby GARP on the 11th.

Ballet on the Lawn Take Two - Dorothy goes to Oz takes place at the Outing Club on the 12th.

And the QC Farmer's Market happens at Schwiebert Park every Saturday through October.

On the 10th, The Rust Belt's Three Door Down - The Better Life 20th Anniversary Tour.

While the musical Disenchanted takes over the Circa '21 stage.

Remembering the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the Blackbox Theater present The Guys by Anne Nelson for four performances only.

Riverside Park is the location for Music on the Mississippi - Crooked Cactus Band, the 13th.

While Blue Grass Community Club Park present 9/11, a Concert in the Park.

The Speakeasy host a stand up comedy competition beginning the 11th.

With more comedy at the show, My Name Is Not Mom at the Adler Theater on the 12th.

For more information, visit wqpt.org.

- Thank you, Lora.

In a moment, we talk with one of the heavyweights of The Bucktown Revue, the group known locally for their traditional heart of America music.

They're ready to take the stage once again, but first, let's feature a little of their sound as they conjure up the music of Bill Monroe.

Here's The Bucktown Revue and Reelfoot Reel.

(Reelfoot Reel starts playing) - The Bucktown Revue and Reelfoot Reel, named after a place in Tennessee, Reelfoot Lake.

The Bucktown Revue actually begins it's 2021 season on Friday, September 17th, as the group returns to the Nighswander Junior Theater in Davenport.

And it's been a tough year and a half as the COVID-19 pandemic kept them away from their loyal followers, even though they supplied many of them with recorded music weekly on YouTube.

Well, we talk with Mike Romkey about the return to the stage and what you can expect as the new season starts.

So Mike, how good is it going to feel to get back on that stage at the Nighswander Junior Theater?

- Well, I'm kind of an introvert.

And I like (laughing)...

I'm the kind of guy who the wife has to talk into going to the party, but I am so excited to be back performing live.

For a year and a half, we've basically been making videos in the living room, or the kitchen, or the basement.

We set up a little video studio down in our basement.

And that's been interesting and fun, but you really miss the interactivity with the audience.

And so many of those people are like family to us.

- [Jim] Yes.

- And you show up at the theater, and Gary Snyder's there, you talk to him or Bill Klutho.

It's just...

It's a different thing.

- Well, and let's be honest, performers feed off the energy in the audience and there is a vibe that you get there on stage.

- Yeah, you totally do.

There's kind of a... People talk about there's a runner's high, there's a performers high.

And when you're up on stage in your plan, and it's all clicking, and the audience is enjoying it, you get a real thrill out of that.

- What's it been like for the last year and a half?

Because like you said, it has been tough.

You've been performing either in the basement or in places that don't have a large audience.

Has it been tough to connect with your loyal fans?

- Well, I think so.

We've tried to take a glass half-full approach and do... We've been doing a weekly video, and we've been real consistent about that ever since the show canceled.

And that's been fun to do, but you do really miss seeing the people and getting the live audience reaction.

- Now for those who don't know about your program, I don't know if this is an insult or if it's a compliment, you kind of think of Prairie Home Companion and you mix it into a local Quad City flavor.

- Well, not in a way that would get me sued.

- (laughs) - I can see how you'd say that.

- I did not mean that.

- An old fashioned kind of... Like what we imagine an old fashion variety show would be.

We really feature roots music, Americana music prominently.

Then we do (indistinct), or the tunes we play tend to be bluegrass, or folk music, or Irish music, or anything that you can do with an acoustic instrument.

And we're trying to...

I mean, we're not really trying to keep the tradition alive, but in a way we are.

We're really trying to celebrate it and celebrate what's best out of the whole melting pot that's America and American music.

But we do everything from classical to jazz, to blues, we sort of have everything.

And then we've also got...

There is a spoken component of the show that's pretty important.

Scott Tunnicliff, who serves as our MC, he's a veteran of Geneseo's (indistinct), as well as people like Bob Handschy, and some other people who are regulars.

And Scott will do a monologue every month where he'll take a humorous look at life here on the Mississippi.

We'll have...

They're really skipped, I wish I could pick up a class here, if it weren't for skips, to call them.

- (laughs) - But we have a running bit about the Iowa Wine Council, making fun of... Basically poking fun of...

I live in Bettendorf, poking fun of Bettendorf, poking fun of Pleasant Valley, poking fun of Iowa, and Illinois, and Midwestern foibles.

In this day and age, you can't make fun of anybody else, but you can still make fun of yourself.

- Well, and for me, there's plenty of material, I'm not sure for you guys.

But it is the lighthearted part that rally the audience, I think.

It's a great getaway.

It's a great way to enjoy an evening and still get something out of it locally.

- Well, our marketing handle is, we try to use these two hours of happiness.

And we really like to keep it positive.

I mean, it doesn't always work out.

- [Jim] (laughs) - but we do try to keep the sunny side up, and we have a singalong at the end of the show.

And I mean, the audience just really likes it.

It's kind of like going and hanging out at your friend's house and having a good time.

- Yeah, absolutely.

And now you're doing something a little bit different this year as far as the ticketing is concerned.

And in a way, it can be nice because you're going to do it over the internet, and you can actually in some ways, pick your own seat if you want.

- Yeah.

We've been really doing...

Customer (indistinct) service is very important to us, because we really do...

These people really are our friends and our family.

And so we've been doing it all manually for like, I don't know, going on 14 years.

And it takes a ton of work.

And people call up or email and then they'll say, "Yeah, I want to sit next to Bob," or something.

So we have to figure out where Bob sits.

- [Jim] (laughs) - So we decided to go to this online system, where people can go to this website whenever they feel like it, and they could see what seats are available and pick the seats that they want to be in.

Which I think is a big plus.

I didn't know if people would like it, but we did a preliminary show over Trinity Church in Rock Island, in August.

And, I didn't get a single complaint from anybody from using it.

So it's real easy to use.

There's a link off of our webpage and from all our Facebook posts.

And we do a couple of monthly email links that you can sign up for to remind people the show's coming up, and who's going to be on the show.

And there's a link there that you can very easily click and just... 10 years ago, I think people were maybe a little bit leary, I know I was, about going online and putting my credit card in.

But people are just so used to that now.

- [Jim] Yeah.

I think you're right.

Yeah, no, you're absolutely right.

So you did have that run-through last month at Trinity Church.

- Yeah.

- You're all set for September 17th.

I mean, it's not like you guys have been in mothballs for a year and a half.

You've been playing together.

So tell me, what can we expect?

Do you have anything new up your sleeve or wherever your sleeve might be for this coming season?

- Well, the main thing is we're just really, really anxious to get back and get at them.

It's like when something's going really well you can count on it to break.

And before COVID came along, the show was really clicking.

We were selling a lot of seats every month and it was really happening.

So we're really looking forward to getting back to normal.

There's our special guest this month, the Miracle Bluegrass Band out of Geneseo.

And they're a bluegrass fan obviously, and they're real favorites.

And their leader, Steve Flatt, tells more corny jokes than anybody in the universe.

- [Jim] (laughs) - It's just hilarious.

So we're just looking forward to getting back to doing what we do.

- And did you learn anything from the pandemic?

Did you learn that wow, your performances are...

I don't want you to sound conceited, but that you do serve such an important purpose in some people's lives?

- Well, yeah, we do.

And it gave us a warm, fuzzy feeling to know how much people miss the show.

It also gave us an opportunity to really woodshed and work really hard on arrangements and songs.

So we've got a repertoire of things that we've worked on for the last year and a half that's all ready to go.

So we're just looking for an opportunity to share with people.

- Mike Romkey from the Bucktown Revue.

You can now get tickets online for this season by going to Eventbrite, the online ticket seller.

On the air, on the radio, on the web, on your mobile device and streaming on your computer, thanks for taking some time to join us as we talk about the issues of the cities.

(bright piano music) (bright piano music continues) - [Female VO] Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home & Crematory, a proud supporter of WQPT, has been serving Quad City families since 1889.

They now have livestream capabilities for viewing your loved one's funeral or memorial service.

- (enchanted piano music) - [Male VO] At IHMVCU, we've always been here for you.

You are and always will be our top priority.

We care about your financial and physical health.

And we are here.

IHMVCU is a proud supporter of WQPT.