RYLA 2021 is for high school sophomores and juniors (during the 2020-2021 school year) and will be held July 18-23, 2021 at Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  The purpose of RYLA is to assist potential youth leaders in methods of responsible and effective leadership.  A subtext of the RYLA program is the development of confidence and self esteem.   Many participants have said, "It was the best week of my life."

 

The Rotary Club of Ankeny has committed to pay the $350 registration fee for up to eight students, but as of May 3rd, five applications have ben received.   We are pleased to announce the deadline for students to submit applications for RYLA has been extended to May 31, 2021.  If you have a child or know of a student that would have an interest in this unique opportunity, please encourage them to complete the application which can be found at - http://www.iowaryla.org/rotarian-resources/rotarian-application-process/   

 

Questions - contact Ben Digmann, ben@caliberiowa.com 

The Rotary Club of Boone will be having a fundraiser, "No Dirty Dishes Day Dinner" on May 18, 2021 from 5-7 PM.   It will be a bar-b-que dinner but drive through only.  The adult meal will consist of a smoked pork loin sandwich, pasta salad, fresh fruit, chips and dessert - all for $12.00.    There is no charge for a kids meal which includes a hot dog, chips, fresh fruit, and dessert.   

Eduardo A. Arias M. and Juan A. Arias M., sons of Juan Angel Arias and Patty Munguia, became new Paul Harris Fellows when Juan transferred 1,000 Foundation Recognition points to each of them.  Juan presented the certificate and pin to Eduardo at the Evening Club meeting on April 20th.   Since Juan A. is still in Honduras, Eduardo will deliver the certificate and pin to him when he returns to Honduras. 

 

District Governor, Steve Dakin visited both the noon and evening Ankeny Rotary Clubs on April 27th.   He wanted to thank the club for our support and participation in the District Conference on April 24th.  The Ankeny clubs had 19 members in attendance at the conference and contributed more than any other club in the District towards the PolioPlus campaign and Tom Friedman was one of eleven recipients of the Paul E. Hellwege Guardian of Integrity.   Steve also brought the sign which will be placed on the Sukup Safe T Home to be built in Haiti.  

Allison Ver Steegt was referred to the Rotary Club of Ankeny by her cousin, Sarah Simon, President of the Rotary Club of Winterset.   Allison is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones and was inducted into Rotary on April 27th.

 

Part of the fun that took place during the "Living the 5-Way Test" Rotary District Conference on April 24th was DG Steve Dakin's offer to allow a representative from the Club that donated the most money to the PolioPlus campaign to throw a pie in his face.  The Rotary Club of Ankeny was the top club with contributions of $6,630.   President Wehr was prepared to throw the pie but Dave Cook, a Boone Rotarian offered to donate an additional $250 to let Steve off the hook and take the pie in his face instead.  After Todd threw the pie, more money was raised for PolioPlus and the Rotary Club of Boone's president threw the pie in Steve's face.

 

Maternal and Child Health is one of Rotary International's Seven Areas of Focus. The Foundation Minute will begin this month by reminding us all of what the month means.  Rotary International makes high quality healthcare available to vulnerable mothers and children so they can live longer and grow stronger.  An estimated 5.9 million children under the age of 5 die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate healthcare, and poor sanitation which are all preventable.

 

This is where TRF comes in.  As of 2018, the Foundation has spent over $8,000,000 in grants to projects aimed at improving the lives of mothers and children around the globe.  TRF provides education, immunizations, birth kits and mobile health clinics. Women are taught how to prevent mother-to-infant HIV transmission, how to breast-feed and how to protect themselves and their children from disease.  Over the past few years, TRF has contributed immensely to the overall healthcare of needy mothers and children from all regions of the planet.  For example, Rotary Clubs in Japan and Brazil used a RF Global Grant to fund a lifesaving neonatal equipment.  Not only that, in Poland, 26 children traumatized by violence got a chance to be kids again at a Rotary Camp where psychologists “mixed escape and therapy”.  Generally, Rotary, through TRF, funds programs that improve women’s access to skilled health personnel: doctors, nurses, midwives or community healthcare workers.

Noon club President, Todd Wehr, attended the Evening club social at Mistress Brewing on April 6th.   While there, he presented Juan Arias with a certificate naming his the Ankeny "Rotarian of the Month" for April.  This is in recognition of not only his leadership as the Evening club President, and helping with the technology for the noon club, but also for stepping up to assume the role of Assistant District Governor when Corinne Lambert became ill.   Congratulations and thank you Juan!!   

The Rotary Club of Ankeny will be hosting a social on May 24th for prospective new members.  It will be held at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club beginning at 6:00 PM.  All members are encouraged to invite a friend, neighbor, business associate, or anyone they think will make a good addition to the Rotary Club of Ankeny.   There will be appetizers and drinks provided.

 

The Club's Board has approved donating 500 Paul Harris recognition points to any current member that proposes a new member that ultimately joins either the noon or evening club.   

 

Please let Sally Schroeder, ssschroeder@dmacc.edu, know if you will be attending and how many prospective new members you will be bringing.