Extend The Dream Foundation Inc

UPTOWN BILL'S INCLUDES A LARGE COMMUNITY MEETING AND PERFORMANCE ROOM, A CAFE AND A SMALLER MEETING ROOM. THE CAFE SELLS BEVERAGES, SANDWICHES AND DESSERTS, AS WELL AS USED BOOKS. PROGRAMMING INCLUDES CONCERTS,READINGS AND EXHIBITS, WITH LIVE MUSIC EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7 P.M. AND SOMETIMES OTHER EVENINGS. 50 CONCERTS WERE PRESENTED THIS YEAR, DRAWING AUDIENCES OF 10 TO 50 PEOPLE. AT 50 OPEN MIC NIGHTS, AN AVERAGE OF 15 PEOPLE A WEEK GAVE 10-MINUTE PERFORMANCES. 15 TO 20 WRITERS READ FROM THEIR WORK AT MONTHLY OPEN WORD SESSIONS. THE UKULELE CLUB, IRISH DANCERS AND SINGERS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY SINGERS ATTRACTED 10 TO 25 PARTICIPANTS EACH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. COMBINED EFFORTS THEATRE, A LOCAL GROUP OF ABOUT 40 INDIVIDUALS OF VARIED ABILITIES, USED THE LARGE ROOM FOR REHEARSALS. ACCESS2INDEPENDENANCE OFFERED MONTHLY ART CLASSES, EACH ATTENDED BY AN AVERAGE OF 10 ARTISITS AND TWO LEADERS. VARIOUS AGENCIES BROUGHT AN AVERAGE OF 15 PEOPLE A WEEK TO THE CENTER TO SOCIALIZE OR LEARN. IN ADDITION, 15 TO 150 PEOPLE DROPPED IN EACH MONTH TO SIT, READ, STUDY, TALK TO FRIENDS, WORK ON CROSSWORDS OR JUST RELAX. THE SMALLER MEETING ROOM PROVIDED REGULAR SPACE FOR SUCH GROUPS AS ALCOHOLICS, NARCOTICS AND GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS, GRASP (FOR PEOPLE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM), AND THE BRAIN INJURY ALLIANCE OF IOWA. THIS YEAR GROUPS HELD 620 MEETINGS DRAWING EIGHT TO 20 PEOPLE EACH. AN AVERAGE OF TWO OR THREE AD HOC MEETINGS ALSO WERE HELD EACH MONTH. WALLS OF THE SMALLER ROOM PROVIDED SPACE FOR EXHIBITS OF ART BY LOCAL ARTISTS.