Massage get Q-C woman backstage with Alabama - Quad City Times

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Bonita Howes' healing hands not only gave her a chance to meet members of her favorite band Alabama in person, but the massage therapist now has a concert story she'll be telling for ages.


Howes, who co-owns the Institute of Therapeutic Massage with her husband Dr. Dan Howes, a chiropractor, is regularly on call when the Mississippi Valley Fair makes its August run. "Sometimes I get called to massage the entertainers, sometimes its the crews in lighting, rigging or the stage people," she said.


But when she got a call ahead of Alabama's concert Aug. 6 at the Davenport fairgrounds "I didn't know it would be members of the band, I thought it would just be somebody in the backup crew."


"I went to my first Alabama concert 30 years ago when I was in college," she said, adding she never would have dreamed she'd meet the actual band. She won't say who got the massages, but members of the crew — who also got massages — gave her a backstage pass for the concert.


"I got to sit right on the stage. People (in the audience) were trying to get me to get them autographs," said Howes. "I never in a million years would have thought my 5th Alabama concert I'd be sitting on stage with them."


Howes began massaging fair acts as well as others at the fairgrounds 13 years ago when the couple opened their massage and wellness school 13 years ago down the street at 1730 Wilkes Ave. She has been massaging for 19 years.


When she meet the legendary country band, she said they talked about the state of Alabama, where she has traveled often to see her children's godparents, as well as nutrition, health and about Bob Hope, who actually turned the Alabama entertainers onto massage 25 years ago.


"Every massage therapist knows this, Bob Hope got massaged daily for 67 of his 100-year-life,'' she said of the late entertainer, who died in 2003.


She even got another chance to meet them after the concert after they called her over to their trailer. "To meet someone you're a fan of since college, that was the crazy part. And they're just the nicest southern gentlemen you ever met."

Hy-Vee boosts Girl Scout camp

With a healthy donation from Hy-Vee Inc., area girl scouts are enjoying updates at Camp Liberty that will teach them the value of making healthy choices, staying physically active and caring for the environment.


Hy-Vee recently donated $200,000 to help the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois open the new Hy-Vee Healthy You Activity Area at the camp in New Liberty. Several dozen girls got in on the formal unveiling as they attended Liberty Camp — where I fondly remember camping in a Conestoga wagon back in its Camp Conestoga Days more years ago than I care to count.


"At Hy-Vee, our company is built on the fundamentals of friendliness, helpfulness, honesty and respect — all of which are taught through the Girl Scouts and their camp program," said Sheila Laing, Hy-Vee's executive vice president of industry relations and chief customer officer. "This project was a perfect fit for us."


The donation also helped update the aquatic center, adventure trails and sports and activity field at the camp.


Girl Scouts CEO Diane Nelson applauded Hy-Vee's investments in the communities it serves. "We are thrilled to partner with them on this renovation project that will provide our girls with skills and memories that will last a lifetime."

Lead(H)er founder gets big check

Congratulations to Melissa Pepper, the spunky 2009 Augustana College graduate, who launched a new nonprofit last week aimed at helping young professional women grow in their careers and their communities.


Her new Lead(H)er organization got a financial boost from Royal Neighbors of America, which provided her with a $10,000 grant from its Nation of Neighbors Awards program. After accepting the large cardboard poster check from RNA's CEO Cynthia Tidwell, she quipped "So do you think they'll let me cash this at the bank?"


Without missing a beat, Northwest Bank & Trust Co.'s Joe Slavens was quick to tell one of his executive team "open an account."


"We'll see you tomorrow," he told Pepper.


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