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Evening Club Completes Food Drive

During the evening of June 5th, the Evening club completed a food drive to benefit the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church's food bank. In about an hour and half, the drive netted 265 pounds of food and paper products and $40 in cash.

AMP Ribbon Cutting & Dedication

The formal dedication and ribbon cutting for the Ankeny Market Pavilion and Wade Franck Plaza was held on June 15th. The ceremony started with comments from Mayor Gary Lorenz. Rotarian Terry Peter then talked about the timeline from the origination of the idea for a trailhead in 2011 to the fundraising and finally the construction. There remains some landscaping to be completed and assuming a Rotary grant is approved, more benches will be added.

No Noon Meeting June 19th

The 2018 annual meeting and awards banquet for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held on the evening of June 19th at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club. For those who have registered, the evening will begin at 5:30 with a social hour including drinks and appetizers and the meal will be served at 6:30. The meeting will begin at approximately 7:00 PM and will include several Paul Harris presentations, perfect attendance awards, the naming of the "New Member of the Year" and "Rotarian of the Year" and the passing of the gavel to next year's president. Due to the annual meeting, the club's regular noon meeting is cancelled.

Date Set for 2019 Fundraiser - April 13th

The FFA Enrichment Center has been reserved for April 13, 2019 for the next fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Ankeny. The Board anticipates moving the date from February to April will reduce possible conflicts with basketball games, spring break travel plans, and adverse weather. It will also allow for more time after the holidays to sell tickets and obtain auction items. Put this date on your calendar and plan to attend.

Proposed New Member Brian Tiernan

The Board has approved an application for membership to the Rotary Club of Ankeny from Brian Tiernan. Brian is being proposed by Trent and Renee Murphy to be a Secondary Member for current corporate Rotary member CJM Financial.

Comments regarding Brian's proposed membership may be forwarded to any Board Member.

Rotary Foundation Minute

Rotary's commitment to eradicating Polio worldwide won Best Nonprofit Act in the Hero Awards of the One Billion Acts of Peace campaign, an international global citizens' movement to tackle the world's most important issues. The campaign is an initiative of peace Jam Foundation and is led by 14 Nobel Peace laureates, including the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Rigoberta Mencu tum, with the ambitious goal of inspiring a billion acts of peace by 2020. Each year the campaign picks two finalists in each of six categories for their work to make a measurable impact in one of the 10 areas considered most important by the Nobel laureates. Winners are chosen by people from around the world. Rotary and Mercy Corps were the two finalists in the Best Nonprofit Act category. Rotary and the five other winners will be recognized at a ceremony in June in Monaco. Betty Williams, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for her advocacy for peace in Northern Ireland will present the award.

We all should be proud to be a Rotarian! You are the people of action and make a difference in the world. Thank you.

July 17th Meeting at Iowa Soybean Association

Due to a conflict at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club, the noon meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny on July 17th will be held at the Iowa Soybean Association offices at 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway. Our speaker will be Aaron Putze, Director of Communications and External Relations and Kelly Visser, Communications Specialist and lead of the ISA's Iowa Food & Family Project.

Thank You from Dollars For Scholars Winners

Two more thank yous have been received from the recipients of the Rotary Dollars For Scholars scholarships. They read as follows:

"Thank you for granting me this scholarship. With it, I intend to pursue architecture in the college of design at Iowa State University. As this is a 5-year program, your contributions have benefited me greatly as a student in need of financial aid. I am very grateful for this opportunity to minimize my cost of attendance which will allow me to focus less on working a job to pay for my education and focus more on my actual studies. As I begin my journey at Iowa State, I will continue to work diligently, if not more so, than I did in high school to achieve my goal as a future architect. I will make sure to use this scholarship you have granted me to its greatest potential. Thank you for taking some of the financial burden off of my shoulders." Nicolette Land

"I am writing to thank you all for your generosity in awarding me the Rotary Club of Ankeny Scholarship. As a student of Ankeny High School, I have worked hard these past few years to make sure that I leave a good impression on my teachers and fellow students. I have been involved with Rotary in a few different ways, the most significant of which being my exchange to Italy with Rotary's commitment to its purpose; to better the community. Next year I plan to study at the University of Iowa. I am interested in later attending law school, specifically to learn more about international and immigration law. I look forward to visiting with you all again about my studies and how I can further utilize my talents to better my community. I hope to meet you all at our Senior Spotlight Night Ceremony!" Sincerely, Rachel Leon

More RYLA Scholarships Presented

On May 22nd, 5 of the 12 students the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be sending to RYLA in 2018 received their certificates indicating they were RYLA scholarship winners. During the meeting on June 5th, the other 7 students received their certificates. These seven students were Christopher Martin, Marie Hanoire, Haley Grubb, Claudio Shachez, Elise Wilson, Andrea Rodriguez, and Chloe Peck. The 2018 RYLA will be held July 15-20 at Grinnell College.

Del Mohler Named June "Rotarian of the Month"

President Sally Schroeder named Del Mohler "Rotarian of the Month" for June during the June 5th meeting. This is in recognition of all he does for the club including saying a prayer each week. He also files the tax return for the club each year and participates in several service projects.

AMP Dedication & Ribbon Cutting

A ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of construction of the Ankeny Market & Pavilion, AMP, will be held at 3:PM on June 15, 2018 at the Elwell Family Park at Uptown, 715 W. First St. Everyone is invited to attend to help celebrate this great addition to Ankeny!!

Thank You From Mary Cochran

The following note was received from Mary Jean Cochran:

Dear Rotarians:

I appreciate the kindness shown with sympathy cards, phone calls, a beautiful plant, and most of all, your support during the loss of my 91-year old mother. She was an amazing lady who lived independently in her own home until her recent illness. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness.

President's Corner

Hat's off to you! Thank you for being a part of my life the past year. I've enjoyed being the president and had a lot of fun with projects, events and even a few songs. We gained new members, conducted a survey and had Rotary minutes. Facebook was a leap for us and the publicity was enhanced by reaching out to other service clubs when we had out first "Showcase".

It was wonderful to have so many members who said yes to being a part of or chairing a committee. New members gained experience and were able to witness service in action. Hats off to the more seasoned Rotarians for reaching out to the new members.

I'm looking forward to the annual meeting where many members will become Paul Harris Fellows. There will also be a recap of the year's accomplishments. Please attend for our last hurrah and our welcome to Ben Digmann as the gavel is passed to him. My hat is off to you, Ben! I hope you have as much fun as I did!

Rotary Foundation Minute

Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation are separate legal entities that comply with the laws and accounting standards of the countries in which they operate. Philosophically and practically, however, they function as one organization.

As a global organization that operates in almost every country of the world and in 29 currencies, Rotary takes stewardship of its funds very seriously. Stewardship begins as funds are received around the world through its prudent investment and continues as funds are spent to provide life-changing and sustainable grants, and programs and services for members.

You as a Rotary member support Rotary International with your dues, and the Rotary Foundation through your voluntary contributions. We Rotarians are passionate about making positive, lasting changes at home and abroad. Clubs and districts direct the funds provided by the Foundation into grants that serve humanity. Rotary is well positioned to remain the world's foremost membership and service organization while continuing to serve members. Be proud to be a Rotarian.

RYLA Scholarships Presented

The Rotary Club of Ankeny will be sending 12 students to RYLA in 2018. During the meeting on May 22nd,five of these students were presented with certificate acknowledging that they were RYLA scholarship winners. The students in attendance were Ella Hawkins, Stan Renaud, Katelin Meier, and Connor Grau. The other RYLA students plan to attend the June 5th meeting to receive their certificates.

DG Tom Norak to Visit Ankeny July 10th

The Rotary Club of Ankeny will be one of the first clubs District Governor Tom Norak will make his official visit to in 2018-2019. He will visit the noon club on July 10, 2018. Tom will be meeting with the Board at 10:30 prior to the noon meeting and then address the entire club during the regular meeting time. Mark your calendar and plan to attend. Tom's official visit to the "Evening" club will be October 30, 2018.

2018 Rotary Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner

The 2018 annual meeting and awards banquet for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held on the evening of June 19th at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club. There will not be any golf this year. The evening will begin at 5:30 with a social hour including drinks and appetizers and the meal will be served at 6:30. The charge will be $15 per person with the club paying the balance of the cost. The meeting will begin at approximately 7:00 PM and will include several Paul Harris presentations, perfect attendance awards, the naming of the "New Member of the Year" and "Rotarian of the Year" and the passing of the gavel to next year's president.

Plan to attend and celebrate all the accomplishments for the club during the past year. Register by responding to the email invitation you should have received, go to our web site and click on the event, or contact Tim Cox or Nate Burnham. When registering, please indicate your dinner choice of filet, salmon, or vegetarian lasagna.

June Rotary Board Meeting

The June board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be:

When: Thursday, June 14th
Time: 12:00 PM
Where: Wig N Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd.

All members are welcome and it counts as a make-up!

Foreman donates Winnings

Jim Foreman won the $250 pot at the meeting on May 8th. Jim was presented a check for this winnings the next week, May 15th. Upon receiving the check, Jim announced hw would in turn donate $50 to the Rotary Foundation and $200 to the On With Life Foundation. Congratulations and thank you Jim!

Thank Yous From Dollars For Scholars Students

The following thank you letters were received from Meredith Long and Eva Long. Meredith and Eva are twin sisters and both attended RYLA in 2017.

"I feel so honored to have received the Rotary Club of Ankeny Scholarship. I am so grateful for everything the Ankeny Club has provided for me within the past year. I was lucky enough to be awarded with a Rotary Scholarship to attend RYLA. It had been such as impactful week of my life, and I never shy away from the chance to tell someone about how great of an experience it was for me!

After RYLA, I realized that I love to be around people and I love learning new things from all kinds of people. Although I do not know what I am going to major in yet, I know that wherever I end up, interacting with many different people will be a big part of my career. I am very excited for my future at the University of Iowa and for all of the great experiences that I will have in college. I do not have specific goals for what I want to accomplish yet, but I am ready to learn more about myself as I discover my path next year. I am very thankful to have had such a great education and support system leading up to this point. Without the bonds with teachers and friends that I have made at Ankeny Centennial High School, I would not be the person I am today.

By awarding me this scholarship, you have reduced my financial burden which allows me to focus more on how I will perform academically and not so much on how much money is being spent. Thank you again for your generous contribution to the betterment for my education, I fell I am now 1 step closer to discovering my passion in life. Sincerely, Meredith Long"

"I am honored to have received the Rotary Club of Ankeny Scholarship. Thank you for your generous support of my education and future adventures. I am presently unsure of what I am going to study, but during my time at the University of Iowa , I will be open to ideas and paths that I have never thought about before. At Iowa I will be able to try new things and find my passion with the help of this scholarship.

I have previously received a Rotary scholarship giving me that opportunity to attend RYLA, where I was able to meet friends who live in Iowa City. I know I can always go to these people for help or a familiar face. With the money that the Ankeny Rotary Club is awarding me, I will use for my college expenses. There is a great amount of stress on most college students who are unable to easily pay for their college, but with the help of organizations like the Rotary Club, those students can get a helping hand. I can definitely say that the Rotary Club has changed my life for the better, giving me an experience like RYLA, as well as awarding me with a scholarship which puts me at more ease with my college expenses.

Thank you Rotarians for being truthful, fair, spreaders of goodwill, and being beneficial people who add positively and leadership to the community. I accept this $500 scholarship with pride knowing that the Rotary Club of Ankeny has provided it for me. In appreciation, Eva Long"

Rotary Club of Ankeny

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