The Rock Island County Democratic Central Committee’s 54th Annual Salute to Labor Picnic on Monday, Sept. 4, will feature a special guest, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood.
The picnic will run 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 4, at the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council (Quad Cities campus), 424 Carpenter Court, East Moline. Keynote speakers also include leading local Democratic officeholders, such as 17 Congressional District U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, State Sen. Mike Halpin, State Rep. Gregg Johnson and Pam Davidson, 17th Congressional District state central committeewoman.
The event is sponsored by the Rock Island County Democratic Central Committee and it is open to any member of the public who wants to celebrate organized labor, according to a news release from the party.
Picnic tickets (which are $7 for children and $15 for adults) will be available at the picnic site on Labor Day, and they include lunch, which will be served 11:30-3:30. On the menu are pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs, potato salad, coleslaw, salad, chips and refreshments.
“This picnic represents our party’s opportunity to thank the hard-working men and women of organized labor who built the middle class throughout the Quad Cities and Illinois,” said Sen. Halpin, who also is the Rock Island County Democratic Party chair.
Picnic-goers also will hear from Illinois 14th Congressional District Congresswoman, Rep. Underwood, who was recently elected to co-chair the Illinois House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.
Rep. Underwood was first elected to Congress in 2018. The registered nurse represents the district once represented by former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert in the outer western suburbs of Chicago.
Rep. Underwood began her career as a policy professional in the Obama administration in 2014. She also was a senior advisor at the Department of Health and Human Services.
She received a nursing degree from the University of Michigan, and two master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University. In 2019, Rep. Underwood was listed in the “TIME 100 Next” after being nominated by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker.
