Community Focus

WE ARE WITH YOU

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As this coronavirus (COVID-19) situation continues to develop, all of our lives will undoubtedly be affected. While we all work to keep people moving safely in buildings during this unprecedented event, it is important to us that we express our appreciation for the healthcare workers, local communities, and governments around the world who are on the frontline, striving to contain (or at least mitigate) this virus.

KONE Spares encourages everyone to take all precautions to stay safe and healthy during this time.

We will continue to evaluate measures that best support you and our teams as the situation develops. As always, our local teams remain available, and our warehouse remains open, engaged, and ready to support you.

Stay safe, keep your loved ones safe, and lets all work together to not only make it through these trying times, but to come out of it stronger, wiser, and more resilient to future perils.

Bix Beiderbecke and the Bix 7

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This weekend here in the Quad Cities, on the shores of the Mississippi River, we have a large multifaceted event celebrating local native Leon Bismark “Bix” Beiderbecke. Bix, a jazz cornetist, pianist, and composer, was one of the most influential jazz soloists of the 1920’s.

For the curious, here’s some of his music:

One of the major events celebrating Bix and his legacy is called the Bix 7, a seven-mile marathon that many of the KONE Spares team and family members have participated in over the years. Founded by John Hudetz from Bettendorf (one of the four “quad cities”), he was a marathon runner who wanted to bring some of the excitement from the Boston Marathon to us here on the banks of the Mississippi. It started in 1975 with a total of 84 runners, but now the number of participants run in the tens-of-thousands.

For anyone who likes to run marathons, or who love classic jazz music, this is the event for you. If you can’t make it this weekend, put it in your calendar for next year.