With the debate over health-care reform taking center stage in Washington, D.C., chances for Quad-Citians to weigh in with their opinions are popping up.

Over the next eight days, there are a half-dozen events centering on the issue.

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, AARP and a coalition called Health Care for America Now all are holding separate events in the Quad-Cities.

“We want to hear from everyone who has a stake in this,” a Harkin spokeswoman, Kate Cyrul, said Tuesday.

President Barack Obama has said he wants an agreement on a health care overhaul this year, and with the clock ticking toward the August recess interest in the issue is building, according to activists.

“People know they need to be involved,” said Amy Logsdon, political director for the Iowa Citizens Action Network.

The network is part of Health Care for America Now, a coalition that includes unions and progressive organizations, which is co-sponsoring a noon rally Thursday at United Neighbors Inc., 808 Harrison St., Davenport.

Also taking part is an Atlanta woman taking a bus cross-country collecting stories to demonstrate the human impact of the current health-care system, as well as local health-care activists.

Logsdon said anybody with a story to tell is encouraged to show up at the rally.

Some of the speakers are headed to Washington, D.C., next week for separate rallies and to lobby lawmakers.

AARP, meanwhile, is holding the latest in its series of health-care reform meetings on Thursday, June 25, at the Figge Art Museum Cafe, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport. It will be from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

“These meetings are a chance for the public to learn where AARP is in the process and how they can get involved helping ensure that reform happens this year,” said Bruce Koeppl, the Iowa director for AARP.

Also on June 25, Harkin’s office will be hosting three “listening posts on health reform.”

Harkin chairs a Senate working group devoted to writing components of a health reform bill dealing with prevention and public health.

A Harkin aide, Allison Hart, will be at the June 25 meetings at these locations:

• Trinity at Terrace Park, 4500 Utica Ridge Road, Bettendorf, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
• Genesis Medical Center’s Adler Health Education Center, Rooms 1 and 2, 1236 E. Rusholme St., Davenport, from 11 a.m. to noon.
• Community Health Care Inc., 500 W. River Drive, Davenport, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.