Rotary Holiday Schedule
The following is the meeting schedule for both the Rotary Club of Ankeny during the holiday season: December 5th - Regular meeting at AG&CC December 12th - Holiday Social with Evening Club at Briarwood Golf Club, 5:45 PM social, dinner at 6:30 PM December 19th -Regular meeting at AG&CC December 27th - No Meeting January 2nd - No Meeting
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October Rotary Board Meeting.jpg)
The October Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd.
When: Thursday, October 12th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
Todd's Back!US Army Reserve Sergeant Major Todd Eipperle was deployed to Kuwait in December, 2022. He served with the143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), U.S. Army Reserve under the U.S. Central Command. This was his third deployment. Todd completed his assignment and after several days of travel arrived back in Iowa on September 9th. Needless to say, his wife Julie and their dog, Cloe, were glad to have him back home.    |
Prospective New Member - Joseph Herst
The Board has approved an application for membership from Joseph Herst, the Director of Development for Special Olympics, Iowa. He is being sponsored for membership by Brandon Converse..
Comments regarding this prospective new member may be forwarded to any Board member. |
Gary Welch Passes on September 24, 2023
Gary Lee Welch, age 79 died on Sunday, September 24, 2023. Gary grew up on a farm outside of Braddyville, Iowa and later moved to Hastings, Nebraska, where he graduated from High School in 1962. He received his bachelor's degree from Hastings College and then earned a Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Nebraska and was a Licensed Independent Social Worker. He worked as a School Social Worker, a Family Therapist and Psychiatric Social Worker for over 40 years. He married his high school sweetheart, Colleen in 1968 and they had two boys, Eric and Jason. Gary served three terms on the Ankeny City Council and served as chair of the Metro Waste Authority Board. He was a leader with the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce and was honored as Ankeny Citizen of the Year for 1997. He was the founding chair of the Neveln Community Resource Center and also chaired the Community Education Advisory Council and served in the Citizen's Police Academy. He also enjoyed being Santa over many seasons. He always had a twinkle in his eye and enjoyed making children smile. Gary joined the Rotary Club of Ankeny in 1999, served as President for 2004-2005, and was the District 6000 Governor for 2010-2011. He was a Paul Harris Fellow, traveled to Mexico and Nigeria for Rotary mission trips and enjoyed traveling the world with his Rotary family. He cofounded the annual Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA), a life changing leadership training program for youth across Iowa. He and Colleen also enjoyed hosting three Rotary exchange students for Italy, Sweden, and Japan. Gary lived the Rotary moto of "Service Above Self" and will truly be missed by all who knew him.
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Milt Aunan Passes on September 21, 2023
Milt Aunan worked for NW Bell for 42 years as Operations Manager and joined Rotary in Bettendorf, Iowa. After he was transferred to Ankeny, he was contacted by a former District Governor about getting a Rotary Chapter started in Ankeny. With the help of the Northwest Rotary Club, he was able to obtain approval from the other Des Moines area clubs and got the Rotary Club of Ankeny chartered on January 19, 1973. He is considered the founder of the Rotary Club of Ankeny. Milt was not only was the person responsible for getting the Rotary Club of Ankeny chartered but he was also the first President, first Paul Harris Fellow, and the first Rotarian of the year. Milt died on September 21, 2023, at age 94. On Saturday, September 30, 2023, a visitation will be held at 9:30 AM followed at 10:30 Am by a memorial service at Westchester Evangelical Free Church, 4919 Aurora Ave. Des Moines.
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Welcome New Corporate Member - First Interstate Bank
Three new members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny on September 12, 2023. They, along with current member, Nancy Zwickel, will be representing new corporate member First Interstate Bank. The three new members are a, Rebecca Pokorny, Retail Manager, Bryce Whitaker, Financial Advisor, and Bob Jurgensen, Commercial Relationship Manager. Congratulations Rebecca, Bryce, and Bob and welcome to the Rotary Club of Ankeny.
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October Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in October: 3rd - Nancy Zwickel 4th - Joe Kirby 5th - Mary Cochran 12th - Will Pierce 22nd - Melisa Cox 24th - Shar Dunlap 27th - Mark Densmore 30th - John Foster
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Amy Ratekin Named Honorary Member
Amy Ratekin, the Founder and CEO of Spread Your Wings, was the guest speaker at the noon Rotary meeting on August 29th. Spread Your Wings empowers youth, ages 5-18, to improve their mental health, create positive social interactions, increase self-esteem, build self-confidence, learn self-defense skills, and strengthen the body to live their best lives. Following her talk, President SchraderBachar presented her with a certificate naming her an "Honorary" member of the Rotary Club of Ankeny. Amy is an Active member of the Des Moines AM club but has been regularly attending meetings in Ankeny. She does not wish to transfer her membership from the Des Moines club since she wants to maintain the relationships she has built there but does plan to continue attending meetings in Ankeny. An individual cannot be an "Active" member of two clubs at one time, but they can be an "Active" member of one club and an "Honorary" member of a second club. She has already volunteered to assist with our 2024 fundraiser. Congratulations Amy and welcome to the Rotary Club of Ankeny!
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First Annual Rotary Chili Cookoff
The Evening Ankeny Rotary Club will be holding its first Chili Cookoff on Tuesday September 12th at the home of Cathy and Shannon Maher. Noon club members are welcome and encouraged to join in the fun. There will be only 10 chili entries accepted and anyone wishing to compete needs to register their entry. Please sign up on "Sign Up Genesis" using this link if you would like to enter your chili or plan to attend: You do not need to bring chili or anything except your own drink and a chair if you plan to attend, just come and be a part of the judging and the fun, but please register so the hosts have a head count. |
Prospective New Members
Nancy Zwickel is a Private Banking Officer for First Interstate Bank and an Active member of the Rotary Club of Ankeny. First Interstate Bank would like to become a corporate member and bring three additional employees into Rotary.
Rebecca Pokorny is the Retail Manager and will be the “Primary Member”. Bryce Whitaker is a Financial Advisor and Bob Jurgensen is a Commercial Relationship Manager. The Board has approved this application. Comments regarding these prospective new members may be forwarded to any Board member. |
Sofia Has Arrived!
Ankeny's Rotary Exchange student for 2023-2024 is Sofia Aberturas Puga, from Madrid Spain. She arrived on August 15th and will be attending Ankeny Centennial High School. She will be in the 11th grade. Sofia enjoys volleyball, basketball, cooking, hanging out with friends, and trying new foods. The Rotary Club of Ankeny and Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening are sponsoring Sofia this school year. Sofia’s first host family is Steve and Brenda Wieneke. The second host will be the Bill and Victoria Ogier family and her final host family will be the Jason and Jacquelyn Duke family. Sofia is looking forward to attending a 28-day United States bus tour along with other Rotary exchange students mid-June through mid-July 2024 before returning home to Madrid. |
Save the Date - 2024 Ankeny Rotary Fundraiser - May 4, 2024The theme, date and venue have been set for Ankeny Rotary's next fundraiser. It will be: Theme: Kentucky Derby Date: Saturday May 4, 2024 Location: FFA enrichment Center on the DMACC campus Time: 4:00 PM to approximately 8:30 PM Committees are beginning to meet to work on other details including decorations, auction, program, publicity, menu, registration, ticket sales, and more. Please let Brian Tiernan know which committee you would like to serve on and SAVE THE DATE!  |
September Rotarian Birthdays
During the first meeting of each month President ShraderBachar has been recognizing members that will be celebrating a birthday that month. Members with birthdays in September will be recognized at our regular meeting on September 5th (the day after Labor Day). If you are on the following list of Ankeny Rotarians celebrating a birthday in September, please plan to attend so you can be recognized. 2nd - Hans Hoeksema 7th - Teri Crist 7th - Tom Friedman 7th - Mark Martin 7th - Scott Obstarczyk 8th - Bradley Butin 8th - Kent Patterson 9th - Jacquelyn Duke 13th - Adam Boeding 16th - Todd Wehr 20th - Kevin Brooks 25th - Amber Weger 29th - Tim Hawkins
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September Rotary Board Meeting
The September Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd.
When: Thursday, September 14th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
Rotary Club of Ankeny Receives Rotary Citation Again!!The "Rotary Citation" recognizes Rotary clubs that support Rotary's strategic priorities by completing certain activities during the year. The Rotary Club of Ankeny has received this award for Brian Tiernan and Jeff Magner's term as Presidents during the 2022-2023 Rotary year. This marks the eight consecutive year that Ankeny has received this honor. Ankeny was one of ten clubs of the 66 in District 6000 to receive this award for the 2022-2023 year. In 2022-2023 RI President's email forwarding the citation, she stated: Dear 2022-2023 Club President, Congratulations! Your club has earned the Rotary Citation, the most significant award a Rotary club can achieve, for 2022-2023. This past year, your club demonstrated a commitment to achieve its, goals which ultimately helps strengthen Rotary and shape our future. Please find your Citation in this folder. I encourage you to display it proudly to celebrate your club's achievement. Once again, congratulations on a successful year as Club President! Thank you to Brian and Jeff for their leadership during the past year, and congratulations to the all members of the Rotary Club of Ankeny!!  |
Scheduled Greeter/SheriffThe following are the scheduled Greeter/Sheriffs for the next several Rotary meetings: Aug. 8 - Club Picnic Aug. 15 - John Foster Aug. 22 - Jason Gassman Aug. 29 - Tim Hawkins Sept. 5 - Hans Hoeksema Sept. 12 - Rich Job Sept. 19 - Stacey Koeppen Sept. 26 - Heidi Kramer
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A Great Night for the Ankeny Rotary PicnicOn the evening of August 8th, the combined noon and evening Ankeny Rotary clubs combined for fun and games and great food for a picnic at Sunrise Park in Ankeny. There were about 57 in attendance including Rotarians, family members and guests that enjoyed the perfect weather. Thanks to the Evening club for providing the hamburgers and hot dogs and the grillers. The kids in attendance competed in three-legged and egg races and adults and kids competed in bags, lawn darts, watermelon eating and water balloon toss contest. The first Rotary picnic was held in 2024 and has been held annually each year except in 2020.
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August Rotarian Birthdays
The following Rotary Club of Ankeny members will celebrate birthdays in August: 5th - Jess Reynolds 5th - James Warner 12th - Dale Port 13th - Tracy Frette 16th - Mark Land 17th - John Tompkins 18th - Gary Welch 22nd - Brian Tiernan 28th - Ben Digmann
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Ankeny Parks & Rec Thanks Rotary for Trees
The following was posted on the City of Ankeny's FaceBook page: In honor of its 50 years of service to the Ankeny community, the Rotary Club of Ankeny recently donated 50 trees to provide shade within the current park system. The City of Ankeny Parks & Recreation Department has partnered with Rotary for a variety of projects that are dedicated to improving the quality of life for our residents over the years. As Ankeny continues to grow at a record pace, tree donations continue to be one of our greatest needs within the park system. Thank you! Pictured L to R: The Rotary Club of Ankeny members Brian Tiernan, Sally Schroeder, Todd Wehr, Steve SchraderBachar, and Nick Lenox, Parks & Recreation stand in front of a newly planted tree at Bellagio Park. |
Evening Club Receives CharterThe Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening, Iowa, USA has received notice that their charter had been approved by Rotary International. Their 30 charter members will be transferred from the Rotary Club of Ankeny to the new Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening effective on their official "Charter Date" of July 1, 2023. This is a mere 3,912 days after the Board of Directors for the Rotary Club of Ankeny approved a motion to provide support for chartering a satellite club at their meeting on October 14, 2012. Their first meeting was held on October 23, 2012, at Wig & Pen with six prospective members and three noon members present. The first three members, Kristofer Orth, Amnda Rosman and Steve Wieneke were inducted into the Club on November 20, 2012. Kristofer was chosen to be the club's President-Elect, a position he filled for over 5 years until July 1, 2018, when Steve became President-Elect. It is only fitting that Kristofer be the Club's "Charter President" for the 2023-2024 year. The new club will be hosting a Charter Night on July 1lth at Magee's Irish Pub on July 11th beginning at 5:30 PM with a short program at 6:15 PM. All members of both the Rotary Club of Ankeny and the Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening are invited to attend.    Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening and all it's members!! |
Rotary Club of Ankeny Guests
Special guests attending the Rotary Club of Ankeny's meetings last month included: 6/6 - William Pierce, guest of Sally Schroeder 6/6 - Savannah Potts, guest of Renee Potts - Evening 6/6 - Beth Schaefer, Library Circulation Manager, Speaker - Evening 6/13 - Amy Ratekin, visiting Rotarian - Des Moines AM 6/13 - Joseph Herst, guest of Brandon Converse 6/13 - William Pierce, prospective new member 6/20 - Parker McGoldrick, guest of Dylan Dyer 6/20 - Laura Anspach, guest of Anne Porter 6/20 - Amy Ratekin, visiting Rotarian - Des Moines AM |
DG Wieneke Recognizes Polio Plus Society Members
District Governor Steve Wieneke recognized the nine members of the Club that have made a commitment to Rotary's Polio Plus Society during the Club's Awards & Recognition Banquet on June 27th. These individuals have committed to making an annual donation or $100 to the Polio Plus Fund of The Rotary Foundation. This commitment will stay in effect until the World Health Organization certifies that polio has been fully eradicated worldwide. Each member making this commitment will receive a certificate and pin. Members that have made this commitment are Juan Aris, Jacquelyn Duke, Neil Fell, Rich Job, Kristofer Orth, Steve SchraderBachar, Sally Schroeder, Pat Timmons, Brenda Wieneke, and Steve Wieneke. Any member that would like to join the Polio Plus Society should contact Steve Wieneke or Nate Burnham to obtain the form.    |
Gavels Passed to 2023-2024 PresidentsThe Ankeny Rotary Clubs, both noon and evening, celebrated the accomplishments of the past year and announced several awards at their 2023 Awards & Recognition Banquet on June 27th at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club. At the end of the program, 2022-2023 Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening President, Jeff Magner, passed his gavel to 2023-2024 President Kristofer Orth. Kristofer then presented Jeff with a golden gavel in recognition of his service as president for the past year for the evening club. Brian Tiernan, 2022-2023 President of the noon club, passed the gavel to Steve SchraderBachar the 2023-2024 President. Steve then also presented Brian with a golden gavel. Thank you Jeff and Brian for your leadership the past year.     |
Brenda Wieneke Named "Rotarian of the Year"
Kristofer Orth the "2022 Ankeny Rotarian of the Year" had the honor of introducing Brenda Wieneke as the Club's "2023 Ankeny Rotarian of the Year" at the Club's 2023 Awards & Recognition Banquet. Brenda joined the satellite club on July 2, 2019. She has served as the club's secretary and is the President elect 2024-2025 in addition to providing support for her husband, Steve Wieneke as he served as District Governor the past year. Congratulations Brenda!
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Twenty-Four Receive Paul Harris Recognition
Twenty Ankeny Rotarians and four spouses were recognized at the Club's 2023 Awards & Recognition Banquet held at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club on June 27th. They included nine new Paul Harris Fellows and fifteen multiple Paul Harris Fellows. Those recognized were: New Paul Harris Fellows - Rich Bergez, Dylan Dyer, Joanne Friedman, Brody Hanson, Xana Jolly, Sallie Martin, Susan Orth, Jessica Reynolds, & Chuck Stewart Paul Harris Fellow + 1 - Chris Brooks, Ben Digmann, Jason Gassmann, Diana Hawkins, Kent Patterson, & Brenda Wieneke Paul Harris Fellow + 2 - Craig Block Paul Harris Fellow + 3 - Gerry Bair Paul Harris Fellow + 4 - Mark Martin, Jacquelyn Duke, & Del Mohler Paul Harris Fellow + 5 - James Ramsey, & Steve Wieneke Paul Harris Fellow + 7 - Tim Hawkins Paul Harris Fellow + 8 - Juan Arias The Club now has 102 Paul Harri Fellows in the current membership including spouses and other family members and 52 are multiple Paul Harris Fellows. In the 2022-2023 Rotary year, the club donated a total of $29,110 to the Rotary Foundation's Annual fund and PolioPlus. The total contributions since the Club was chartered now total $602,180.
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Rotarians Recognized for Perfect Attendance
Twenty-five members of the Rotary Club of Ankeny were recognized for having perfect attendance, including make-ups, for the 2022-2023 Rotary year at the "2023 Awards and Recognition Banquet" on June 27, 2023. Those recognized included: 1 Year - Anne Porter, Kent Patterson, & Doug Wright 2 Years - Marie Kline, & Heidi Kramer 3 Years - Patty Munguia & Brian Tiernan 4 Years - Juan Arias, Jeff Magner & Brenda Wieneke 5 Years - Todd Eipperle 6 Years - Jacquelyn Duke 9 Years - Rich Job 10 Years - Kristofer Orth & Steve Wieneke 11 Years - Jim Ramsey, Steve SchraderBachar, & Todd Wehr 12 Years - Damon Miller 13 Years- Kathy Sibbel 14 Years - Mary Cochran 15 Years - Sally Schroeder 19 Years - Nate Burnham & Tom Friedman 33 years - Sharlene Dunlap |
Thank You From Aiden Orth
Aiden Orth is the son of Ankeny Rotarian, Kristofer Orth and who accompanied him to several Rotary meetings and service projects over the past several years. He was one of the Dollars for Scholars scholarship winners at Ankeny High School during Senior Spotlight Night on May 17th. The Club has received this thank you note from Aiden. Dear Rotary Club of Ankeny, Thank you so much for your generous donation to my education. It means so much that you are still supporting me even as I leave next fall. I will be using your gift to study math and physics at UCLA. I am so excited for this opportunity and so appreciative for the help. Participation in Rotary with my dad has taught me so much throughout the past decade. I've learned how to live a generous life and to put "service above self". With endless thanks, Aiden Orth
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Mike Lydon Celebration of Life
Ankeny Rotarian Mike Lydon passed away on December 28. 2022. His "Celebration of Life" was held at the Veterans Cemetary near Van Meter on June 21st, his 80th birthday. The service consisted of a bag piper, gun salute, folding of the flag and presenting it to his wife Molly, and comments from Judy Hines, and Molly's sister and son. The Rotary Club of Ankeny has made a contribution to a bench that will be at the cemetery and will have a plaque on it stating:  |
Summerfest Golf Ball Drop
The Rotary Club of Ankeny is partnering again this year with the Ankeny Service Center to sponsor a "Golf Ball Drop" during Summerfest. Our goal this year is to sell 1,000 tickets for $10 each. Each ticket is numbered a ball with a corresponding number which will be placed in a bucket and dropped from about 30 feet in the air onto a grassy area with one golf hole. The first ball in the hole wins $1,000, second $375, third $250 and fourth $125. Thank you to Ankeny Sanitation for providing the prize money and QB Studios for printing the tickets, and Tim's Amoco and Cold Stone Creamery for providing the coupons on the back of each ticket. The net proceeds from Golf Ball Drop are split 70% to the Ankeny Service Center and 30% to the Ankeny Rotary Clubs. Contact Tom Friedman, Tom.Friedman@FNB247.com if you have not received your tickets to sell. Also, be sure to turn in the ticket stubs and money to Tom by July 7th by dropping them off at First National Bank, 1205 N. Ankeny Boulevard.
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Summerfest Parade Volunteers
It’s that time again --- time to help with one of the greatest annual events Ankeny has to offer its citizens, as well as those from surrounding communities, the Summerfest Parade. At least 30 volunteers are needed to help make this year’s parade a HUGE success. We will plan to meet at 6:00 (a few volunteers are needed at 5:45) that morning, Saturday July 8th, in the parking lot of the Ankeny High School parking lot. Coffee and donuts will be provided. If you have not already done so, please contact Rich Bergez, rbergez@nw.bank, to let him know if you are available to help.
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Rotary Donates to Uptown Literacy Project
The Rotary Club of Ankeny has agreed to be a sponsor for an Ankeny Uptown Association literacy project. The club will provide $2,500 to purchase books to be distributed free at the Ankeny Farmers Market this summer. The plan is to hand out 250 books at the markets on 10 Saturdays: 7/1, 7/15, 7/22, 8/5, 8/12, 8/19, 9/2, 9/9, 9/16, & 9/30. The club will be recognized as the sponsor on a sandwich-board sign printed stating: Market Stories: free children's books brought to you by the Rotary Club of Ankeny & Uptown Ankeny. A sticker will also be placed in each stating it was donated by the Rotary Club of Ankeny and there will be a post each week stating the Market Stories will be at the market, with a link to Rotary's web site and recognizing Rotary as Market Stories sponsor.
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Blessman Global Grant - Feminine Hygiene
The Rotary Club of Ankeny has partnered with Blessman International in four Global Grants since 2017. These projects have included Farming Skills, Feminine Hygiene, Early Childhood Sanitation, and Phase II - Early Childhood Sanitation and have represented the majority of the Club’s International service projects. The Club now has the opportunity to be the US lead for an additional Global Grant with Blessman International. The previous feminine hygiene kit project purchased sewing machines and trained local women in the making of the kits, empowering them through training and job creation. This project will provide funding to purchase materials, pay women in South Africa to sew menstrual health kits, and distribute the kits. They hope to be able to obtain sufficient funding to make and distribute 10,000 kits to impoverished young woman. Young women in South Africa often miss work or school due to a lack of supplies during their menstrual cycle. During the distribution of the kits, the women are trained in their use. The kits are washable, reusable and should last for about three years. At their June meeting, the Rotary Club of Ankeny’s Board committed to provide $5,000 for this project and to also match any contributions from members up to an additional $2,500. Upon approval, by Rotary International, funds contributed towards this grant, will receive a match from District 6000 and also from Rotary International. The amount of the match will depend on the total amount contributed. Let Nate Burnham, nfburnham@gmail.com, know if you would like to make a contribution to this project. No payment is necessary until the grant is approved and ready to be funded. Please keep in mind every dollar you contribute will be matched by the Club and will become $2.00. With the match from District 6000 and Rotary International, your contribution could become more than $5.00 for each dollar contributed. Plus, your contribution is tax deductible, and you will receive Paul Harris Fellowship credit and recognition points. |
Rotary Fall Picnic
The Rotary Club of Ankeny's summer picnic will be on Tuesday, August 8th at Sunrise Park, 506 SE Peterson Drive. The evening will begin with social time at 5:30 PM and we will plan to eat at 6:30. The noon Rotary meeting on this day will be cancelled. The club will be providing hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, condiments and table service. Please bring a side dish to share and your own beverages and chairs. All family members and guests are welcome!
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Welcome Three New MembersThree new members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny in June. They are: Joe Kirby was inducted on June 13 into the noon club. He is a Professor with Bellevue University in Bellevue, Nebraska and was formerly a member of the Cedar Rapids Daybreak Rotary Club. Sally Schroeder will be his sponsor. William Pierce is a consultant for Senior Marketing Specialists and has recently moved to Ankeny from Columbia Missouri. He contacted the club through our web site and is now a member of the noon club. Sally Schroeder will be his sponsor. He was inducted on June 20th. Wendy Deppe is a Pharmacist with Unity Point Health in Des Moines but lives in Ankeny. She was also, inducted on June 20th and is now a member of the Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening. She was proposed for membership by Ann Wright and Cathy McDaniel.    |
International Conventions
District Governor Steve Wieneke and Brenda represented District 6000 and the Rotary Club of Ankeny May 27-31 in Melbourne, Australia. Highlights and videos of the speeches are available on the Rotary International web site at Convention news | Rotary International Future Rotary International Conventions will be: May 25-29, 2024 - Singapore June 21-25, 2025 - Calgary, Canada June 13-17, 2026 - Taipei, Taiwan June 5-9, 2027 - Honolulu, Hawaii
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Rotary Foundation Earns Highest Charity Navigator Rating
For the 14th consecutive year, The Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating — four stars — from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the U.S.The Foundation earned the recognition for adhering to sector best practices and executing its mission in a financially efficient way, demonstrating both strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. Only one percent of the organizations Charity Navigator evaluates have received 14 consecutive 4-star evaluations. “We are honored to have been recognized and to be among the top 1% of charities evaluated,” said Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair John Germ. “Our donors can feel proud knowing that their gifts will allow them to make an impact in their communities and the world for years to come.” The rating reflects Charity Navigator's assessment of how the Foundation uses donations, sustains its programs and services, and practices good governance and openness. |
July Rotary Board Meeting
The July Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd.
When: Thursday, July 13th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
July Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in July: 1st - Justin Morgan 3rd - Brad Botos 9th - Jim Ramsey 10th - Allison Ver Steegt 19th - Jason Gassman 22th - Gerry Bair 23rd - Todd Eipperle 25th - Shannon Maher |
2023 Celebration and Recognition Banquet
The "2023 Annual Celebration and Recognition Banquet" for the Rotary Club of Ankeny, both noon and evening clubs, will be held on Tuesday, June 27th at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club. The evening will begin at 5:30 PM with a social hour including drinks and appetizers and the buffet line for dinner will open at 6:15. The program will begin at approximately 7:00 PM and will include perfect attendance awards, the naming of the "Outstanding New Members of the Year", "Rotarian of the Year" and the passing of the gavel to next year's president for both the noon and evening clubs. There is a $25 registration fee for each member and guest. This charge will be added to your July invoice. Plan to attend, bring your spouse or a guest, and celebrate all the accomplishments of the club during the past year. Hope to see everyone at the banquet |
Prospective New Member - William Pierce
The Board has approved an application for membership to the noon club for William Pierce. Will is a consultant for Senior Marketing Specialists and has recently moved to Ankeny from Columbia Missouri. He contacted the club through our web site. Sally Schroeder will be his sponsor. Comments regarding these prospective new members may be forwarded to any Board member.
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Prospective New Member - Wendy Deppe
The Board has approved an application for membership to the Evening club for Wendy Deppe. Wendy is a pharmacist with Unity Point Health in Des Moines but livers in Ankeny. She is being proposed for membership by Ann Wright and Cathy McDaniel. Comments regarding these prospective new members may be forwarded to any Board member.
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Mike Lydon Celebration of Life - June 21st
Long time Ankeny Rotarian, Mike Lydon, passed away on December 28, 2022. His celebration of life was delayed until June 21, 2023, which would have been his 80th birthday. The services for Mike will be at 2:00 PM at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery, 34024 Veterans Memorial Drive, Adel, Iowa. The cemetery asks that guests do not arrive prior to 1:45 pm and you stay in your car outside the Administrative office. A VA staff person will lead the way (via cars) to the Shelter where the service will be held. The service will consist of the folding of a flag, some speakers, gun salute, and a bag piper. After about 15 minutes, Mike’s remains will be transferred to his grave and a VA staff person will guide us to his grave where flowers from his home will be laid on his grave. Immediately following the committal service, there will be a reception, with refreshments, at the Veterans Reception Center, 910 Main St., Van Meter, Iowa. The Rotary Club of Ankeny has made a contribution to a bench that will be at the cemetery and will have a plaque on it stating: In Loving Memory of Michael Lydon 6/21/43 - 12/28/22 Beloved Husband & Dedicated Rotarian |
Evening Club Cleans Up Bandshell LandscapeThe Evening Club met at the Ankeny Bandshell on the evening of May 16th to pull weeds and spread mulch. Twelve members and five guests made the work go fast. They had the bandshell plants looking beautiful in about 30 minutes! Thanks to all that helped.     |
New Chef at AG&CC
The Ankeny Golf & Country Club has a new chef. He is Adam Gillaspey. Adam is a graduate of the DMACC Culinary Arts program and Marge-Anderson French Scholarship winner. He was previously the Executive Chef at the Tournament Club of Iowa.
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Paddle Raiser Checks DistributedThe Ankeny Police Foundation and Dorothy's House were the two non-profit organizations featured as paddle raisers at the Club's 2023 fundraiser on April 15th. At the noon meeting on May 16th, Ankeny Police Chief, Darius Potts, accepted check from the Club for the Foundation's share of the proceeds and Kelly Markey, Executive Director of Dorothy's House attended the noon meeting on May 30th to accept the check on behalf of Dorothy's House. Each organization received $14,195.   |
Rotary Participates in Engage Ankeny
The Ankeny Leadership Institute class of 2018 started Engage Ankeny to provide a forum for Ankeny area non-profits to increase awareness of their services. The Rotary Club of Ankeny participated again this year. In addition to information on the club, those stopping by the booth were given the opportunity to play Plinko and win prizes. Thanks to Jeff Magner, Jacquelyn Duke, Rich Job, Zeb Goen, Brian Tiernan, and Nate Burnham helping with the booth.
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Ankeny Robotics Teams Present to ClubThe guest presenters at the noon Rotary meeting on May 9th were the three Ankeny Robotics teams. Rotarian Rich Job is the advisor for each of these teams.    |
Will Keeps Speaks at Rotary
The speaker at the noon rotary meeting on May 16th was Will Keeps, the founder of Starts Right Here. He gave a very emotional talk on how Starts Right Here focuses on helping troubled kids access mental health services, job assistance and educational opportunities, among other services. When he finished telling stories and answering questions, he received a standing ovation!!
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Sally Schroeder Joins RI Bequest Society
The Club's Foundation Chair, Tim Hawkins, presented Sally Schroeder with a certificate naming her as a Benefactor to the Permanent Fund of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International and an insignia to wear with her Paul Harris Fellow pin. This is in recognition of her commitment to include Rotary's Endowment Fund as a beneficiary in her estate for at least $1,000. Congratulations Sally and thank you for your support of the Rotary Foundation!
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June Rotarian BirthdaysThe following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in June: 2nd - Joe Ruddy 5th - Jenny Fields 6th - Ben Norman 7th - DuWayne McDaniel 10th - Josh Finch 11th - Noel Fiscus 14th - Sue Gibbons 15th - Andy Pollock 17th - Dave Mercer 20th - Steve Van Oort 22nd - Al Martine
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Rotary Dollars for Scholars Winners
Four Ankeny seniors, two at each high school, were awarded Rotary scholarships during the school's Senior Spotlight Night. President Brian Tiernan was able to present the scholarships to the Ankeny Centennial High School winners on the evening of May 23rd. They were Charlotte Brink and Hyah Rouse. Charlotte will be attending the University of Iowa and majoring in Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. Nyah will be attending Drake University and will be majoring in School Psychology. Kristofer Orth presented the scholarships at Ankeny High School on May 17th. He was privileged to present his son Aiden Orth with one of the scholarships and Samantha Forester with the other. Aiden will be attending Stanford University and will be majoring in Mathematics. Samantha, a former RYLA participant will be attending Colorado State University and will be majoring in Biomedical Engineering. Here are the contents of thank you letters from Samantha, Charlie, and Nyah. Hello, my name is Samantha Forester. I would like to thank you for the opportunity you have provided by awarding me the Rotary Club of Ankeny Scholarship. In the fall, I plan to attend Colorado State University and major in Biomedical Engineering and Biological and Chemical Engineering. This scholarship will go a long way toward helping me pay the out-of-state tuition. This summer, before classes start, I have been given the opportunity to study abroad for 2 weeks in July and August. I am heading to Copenhagen, Denmark, where we will tour engineering facilities and learn about green energy. I attended the RYLA leadership conference last summer where I learned problem solving skills and how to work as a team. I also made so many friends and have fond memories to look back on. My favorite of these memories happened during one of the team-building activities. We were divided into groups and played a game of telephone where we were communicating instructions on how to build with logos. I was the final person in the chain the one actually placing the pieces. Somehow this game perfectly combined teamwork with hilarious antics that had me rolling on the floor with laughter. I can confidently say that that was the moment during the conference which solidified this core memory in my heart. I still keep in touch with all of the people I met at the conference, and I'm planning on attending their graduation parties. I cannot express how much this conference has changed my life and the way I work with others. I have been able to apply so much of what I learned at the conference and have noticed a profound impact on my school life. I know that the conference helped to prepare me for college and opened my eyes to so many new experiences and possibilities. Thank you, Samantha Forrester Thank you so much for choosing me as this year's recipient of your Dollars for Scholars Award. I am grateful, as this award will help me considerably to finance my college education next year. In 2021 I was lucky enough to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, and my experience there changed my life. I have become more outgoing and self-advocating because of my experience at RYLA in various ways. In addition, this experience gave me the courage to apply for Centennial's student school board representative position. The leadership skills I learned at RYLA helped me be the applicant they picked. Overall, what I learned at RYLA has completely changed the trajectory of my life, and I can't thank you enough for that experience and your generosity in awarding me this scholarship. Along with servicing as the student school board representative, throughout my time in high school, I've participated in activities such as cross country, track and field, and show choir. I've done my best to commit myself wholly to these activities, and I've done this by leading my teams through example as well as joining leadership teams. Along with these activities, I've also helped to lead different clubs and organizations at Centennial, including starting a green club, serving in a leadership role in the National Honor Society, and helping to run a fundraising campaign for the LLS. I've also worked at Magee's Irish Pub and Eatery for the past three years, where I've learned different skills pertaining to teamwork and leadership. In the fall, I plan on attending the university of Iowa and majoring in Biochemistry on the Pre-med track. I've always loved science and helping others which is why I want to pursue a career in the medical field. I hope that in college, I can continue to foster the leadership skills I learned at RYLA by participating in different student organizations and groups. Again, I cannot thank you enough for all the Rotary Club has done for me. You've helped me become who I am today and given me the resources to chase my dreams. Thank you so much, Charlie Brink I want to thank you. The Rotary Club of Ankeny and Ankeny Dollars for Scholars for awarding me this scholarship. I am excited to receive this award. Words cannot describe how grateful I am because I know every dollar counts when it comes to paying for my education. I currently work at the Ankeny Community School's before and after-school program which is so awesome and fun. This job made me realize that I want to work with kids in the future and helped me decide to study psychology in college. Working this semester has been challenging due to my tennis season. While I made the varsity team, I also made the difficult decision to play JV so I could work at least a few hours a week, instead of having zero hours per week. It wasn't to just make money, I really missed working with the students. I'm wrapping up my AP classes which definitely gave me a run for my money, especially AP statistics and AP Psychology. I'm grateful to DMACC for providing the opportunity to take college classes because they will transfer to Drake and satisfy some of my general ed college credits. My favorite class was AP psych, although the professor was a bit boring, he introduced our class to his favorite show Monk, and I genuinely fell in love with the show. I plan to attend Drake University in the fall to study psychology and education. I've already changed my college plans to a combined Bachelor and Master degree. A major in psychology with a Master of Counseling in education means I'm in school for five years instead of six. At graduation, I'll have a State of Iowa license to be a counselor for elementary-age kids. I hope to be in a school district like Ankeny to start my career and eventually be a therapist with my own practice. Thank you again for sponsoring the Rotary Club of Ankeny scholarship with Dollars For Scholars. I'll put it to good use. Sincerely, Nyah Rouse
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June Rotary Board MeetingThe June Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd.
When: Thursday, June 8th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
Registration Now Open for RYLA
Registration for the 2023 "Rotary Youth Leadership Awards" conference is now open!! RYLA is a six-day conference for current high school sophomores and juniors and will be held at Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, from July 16-21. RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) is a life-changing leadership training program for youth where leadership skills and principles are taught in an atmosphere of trust and respect. 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 is committed to providing a $500 scholarship to cover the cost of the conference for students wishing to attend. Applications may be submitted on-line at www.iowaryla.org. The deadline for applying is May 31, 2023. Contact Ben Digmann at ben@caliberiowa.com with questions.
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Ankeny Rotarians at District ConferenceThe Rotary Club of Ankeny was well represented at the 2023 District Conference. Not only were there 40 noon and evening club members in attendance, and our own Steve Wieneke was the current District Governor, but Kristofer Orth presented a Rotary Inspirational Moment, Todd Eipperle was recognized as a Guardian of Integrity Award winner, and Brian Tiernan was a door prize winner!    |
Polio Eradication Walk/Bike Ride
Bikers and walkers are invited to meet at the AMP at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, 2023. This is a new location. Registration is from 1:00-1:30 p.m. on the east patio. Parking on the east side of the building and street parking is available. Participants will walk and bike south on the High Trestle Trail. After completing your work out, please join us at Wig and Pen to enjoy fellowship, drinks, and food. The Rotary Club of Ankeny will provide snacks. Donations will be accepted before the Ride/Walk begins. Rotarians and guests are encouraged to donate $25 per person to Polio. Checks may be made payable to the Rotary Club of Ankeny, and you can bring the money the day of the event or mail to Treasurer, Jim Ramsey at 911 N. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny, IA 50023. Rotarians donating $100 or more will be recognized as a PolioPlus Society member and will be matched with Paul Harris recognition points. All donations will be contributed to Rotary International's PolioPlus campaign and will be matched 2-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - $100 becomes $300. Please RSVP to Brenda Wieneke at powellbr24@gmail.com. *In case of inclement weather, our event will continue on unless there is lightning and thunder. In that case, we will be meeting inside Uptown Garage Brewing for fellowship. |
50th Anniversary Trees PlantedAs part of the celebration for the Club's 50th anniversary the Club applied for a District Community Service Grant. The grant was approved, and the Club received $5,000 to be matched by the Club for the purchase of 50 trees to be planted along the High Trestle Trail bike path just south of the Ankeny Market Pavilion. The City is now unsure of what they want to put along the bike path and decided to plant the trees purchased with our funds in three new parks in Ankeny, Centennial, Bellagio, and Aspen Ridge. We are currently in discussions with the city regarding some form of recognition for the Club.     |
Ankeny Clean Up Days - May 20-21
The annual Ankeny Cleanup Days will be held again this year on the weekend of May 20-21 at Ankeny Sanitation, located at 7002 SE Delaware Avenue. The cleanup site will be open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4:00 PM on Sunday. The Rotary Club of Ankeny has been asked to provide volunteers to assist city personnel in unloading unwanted materials and debris from vehicles. Signup sheets will be available at Club meetings for the next several weeks. Members are encouraged to sign up for a two-hour shift, bring gloves, and wear their Rotary shirts. Anyone 16 years of age and over can help if you wish to bring another family member. Members will be credited with a make up for each shift they work. Contact Todd Wehr if you have any questions.
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Rotary Night at The Iowa Cubs
On Tuesday June 13th, all Rotarians are invited to Principal Park to watch the Iowa Cubs play the Indianapolis Indians on "Rotary Night at the Iowa Cubs". The first pitch is scheduled for 6:38 PM. Tickets are $13 each with $5 being donated to PolioPus. This is also $1.00 hot dog and bring your pup to the ballgame night. More details to come but save the date on your calendar.
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Todd Eipperle Named Guardian of Integrity Award Winner
At the West Des Moines session of the District 6000 Conference on April 29th, Todd Eipperle was named one of sixteen Rotarians in District 6000 who were nominated by their clubs to receive the Paul Hellwege Guardian of Integrity Award. This award honors individuals who have made contributions in business, media, academia or government and who have by their actions, writing, policies, and public pronouncements strengthened and fostered development of integrity and ethical practices, and who have made sacrifices and/or undertaken risks to uphold Rotary's Core Value of integrity. Todd is the Director of Annual Giving for the Mid-Iowa Council, Boy Scouts of America and has served his country for 36 years first as an Iowa National Guardsman and now as a Sergeant Major in the U. S. Army Reserve. His service has included three deployments overseas including an assignment to an Afghan National Guard Army unit where he was involved in an ambush. Although wounded himself, he returned fire, killing the attacker and likely saving the lives of other members in his unit. Todd has earned numerous awards while serving his country including the Bronze Star for his heroism and a purple heart for his wounds. Since Todd is currently on deployment in Kuwait, his wife, Julie, accepted the Guardian of Integrity Award on his behalf. Each of the 66 clubs in District 6000 had the opportunity to nominate one member each year to receive the Guardian of Integrity award. Ankeny is one of only two clubs in the District to have a recipient of this award in each of the past eight years. |
May Rotary Board Meeting
The May Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, May 11th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
Rotary Club of Ankeny to Charter July 1, 2023
The Rotary Club of Ankeny agreed to sponsor a satellite club in Ankeny to meet on Tuesday evenings in November, 2012. The first three members were inducted into the satellite club November 21, 2012. They were Kristofer Orth, Steve Wieneke, and Amanda Rosman (Daughter of current Rotarian Sue Gibbons.) The club grew slowly for the first several years but now has 30 members. The Evening club has submitted their application to charter on April 12, 2023, to Rotary Internatinal and it was immediately approved. Their official name will be Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening and their charter date will be July 1, 2023. There will be a "Charter Night Celebration" on July 11, 2023, at Magee's Irish Pub & Eatery, 1610 Southwest Main Street, Ankeny. Social time will begin at 5:30 PM followed by a short program at 6:15 and then more social time. Put the date on your calendar and plan to attend and join in this memorable event.
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Danny Nance Thank You
The following note has been received from Sharlene Dunlap: I want to tell you that over the years Danny always looked forward to our socials and he loved being a part of this Rotary family! I hope that you all know how much your prayers and kind words have meant to me! Sharlene - The prayer plant is lovely!!
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Engage Ankeny May 11th
The Rotary Club of Ankeny has reserved a booth at the upcoming "Engage Ankeny Nonprofit Fair" to be held on May 11th at the Ankeny Market Pavillion from 4:00 P.M.- 7:00 P.M. This is an opportunity for non-profits serving Ankeny to raise awareness of the services they provide and connect with volunteers with opportunities to give back to the community. If you can help set up the booth or take a turn manning the booth please contact Nate Burnham.
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ISU Athletic Director, Pollard Speaks to Packed Crowd
The guest speaker at the noon meeting on Apil 11th was Iowa State Athletic Director Jamie Pollard. Jamie, in his 18th year leading the Cyclones, is the longest-tenured Director of Athletics in Iowa State history and fourth-longest tenured at their current Power Five institution. He was honored as the 2019 Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). The banquet room was packed with nearly 60 guests in attendance. Jamie touched on many topics regarding Cyclone athletics and Iowa State University including CyTown, NIL, Big 12 Basketball Tournament, recruiting, NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Selection Committee, current competitiveness of many ISU sports teams and more. Thank you Jamie for your leadership at ISU and for speaking at the Rotary Club of Ankeny.    |
2023 "Raise the Stakes for Community"
The Rotary Club of Ankeny's 2023 fundraiser, "Raise the Stakes for Community", was a great success!! This was all made possible due to the involvement of many members for ticket sales, obtaining auction items, and volunteering. Of course, this would not have been possible without the ideas, leadership, and many hours of service by our co-chairs, Laura Luetje and Stacey Koeppen. We cannot thank them enough. The committee would ask that each member send a thank you note to each of their guests and anyone that they obtained an auction item from. Also, if you feel any of your guests have a passion for serving, and you believe they would make a good Rotarian, invite them to attend a meeting as your guest. There are still a couple bills to be received, but it appears our net income will be approximately $85,627 and nearly $10,000 more than the net income realized from our casino night in October, 2021. Here is an estimate of our final numbers. 2021 2023 Ticket Sales & Sponsorships $38,430 $41,425 Donations 600 600 Net 50/50 Raffle 3,750 10,000 Silent Auction 19,650 19,921 Desserts 5,175 4,975 Live Auction 29,350 38,275 Paddle Raisers 19,520 28,390 Total income $117,735 $144,627 Total Expenses 42,010 59,000 Net Income $75,860 $85,627 |
May Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in May: 12th - Damon Miller 26th - Jon Lowman 27th - Jordan Niewoehner |
Welcome Gabe & Shey MooreGabriel and Shevaughn Moore were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening on April 11th as the club met on the patio at Smokey Row. Both are employed by Action Coach Vanguard. Shey is the Business Development Manager and Gabe is the Firm Owner and CEO of Action Coach Vanguard. Steve Wieneke proposed them for membership. Welcome  |
Hard Working Todd EipperleLooks like Todd Eipperle is working hard while on deployment. These are pictures were taken while he was exploring Petra, Joedan - A wonder of the world. It is also the filming location for the ending scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.    |
Branden Converse Selected to President 2025-2026
President Brian Tiernan announced at the noon meeting on March 28th that Brandon Converse has been selected selected to follow Steve SchraderBachar, 2023-2024, and Kent Patterson, 2024-2025, as President of the noon Rotary Club of Ankeny forf the 2025-2026 Rotary year. As the club's President Elect Nominee, Brandon will assume the responsibility for arranging speakers beginning in July 2023. Thank you for agreeing to serve the Club in this capacity and congratulations Brandon!
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Donations Approved in March
The Rotary Board approved the following donation requests at their March meeting: Epilepsy Foundation of Iowa - $500 for a sponsorship of their "Walk For Epilepsy" in Central Iowa to increase awareness of the challenges those with epilepsy face each day and to raise funds to support programs and services for these individuals and their families. CIVITAS - $1,000 sponsorship for the Rotary multi-club program on human trafficking to be held May 2nd. Rotary International Disaster Relief Fund - $500 - The Rotary Foundation supports disaster relief and recovery efforts through grants from the Rotary Disaster Relief Fund. With the recent number of natural disasters around the world, the Club feels a donation to this fund is warranted.
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District 6000 Annual Conference
The Rotary Club of Ankeny now has over 40 members signed up to attend the 2023 District 6000 Annual Conference in West Des Moines. This will be one of three evening events in our district. The West Des Moines Conference will be held on Saturday, April 29th at the Hilton Garden Inn. If you have not signed up yet but would like to attend, contact Nate at nfburnham@gmail.com. The Club will pay the registration fee for you and a guest.
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Rotary Night at the Iowa Cubs
Rotary District 6000 is excited to announce they will be hosting a night of fun and fellowship with the Iowa Cubs at Principal Park on Tuesday, June 13. First pitch will be at 6:38 p.m. Tickets for your family and friends are $13 each, plus ticket order fee. In addition to watching a great baseball game, $5 for each ticket purchased will go towards The Rotary Foundation PolioPlus Fund. It will also be bring your dog to the ballgame and $1 hotdogs night. The link to purchase tickets is: https://fevo.me/iarotarydistrict6000
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CIVITAS - May 2ndThe next CIVITAS, Central Iowa Rotary Club's forum, will be held on Tuesday, May 2nd at 4:30 PM at the Hilton Garden Inn in West Des Moines. The forum will be focused on "Human Trafficking". Both the noon and evening club's meetings are being cancelled on this day and the Club will pay the registration fee members and guests. Sign up sheets will be available at s Rotary meetings. If you are not able to attend a meeting to sign up contact Marie Kline at marie.kline@kw.com and have her add your name to the list. She will accumulate the registrations and submit them on behalf of the club.
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"Raise The Stakes For Community"
As of April 4th, there are only 10 days until the Club's fundraiser/dinner/auction "Raise the Stakes for Community". We now expect the event to be sold out with 400 guests. Thank you to everyone that bought tickets, tables and sponsorships. It will be great to have every seat filled. If you did not get a ticket purchased but still want to attend, contact Laura Luetje at laura.luetje@ankenylaw.com to see if there may be an opening. Please encourage your guest(s) to visit our wed site at https://bidpartner.net/rotary/ and register their credit card prior to the night of our event. This will allow them to start bididng on the silent auction items and it will also speed up registration that night. We have over $75,000, estimated value, of auction items that have been donated. This includes 24 items that will be sold live and approximately 100 silent auction items. The on-line silent auction is expected to go live the week of April 3rd. Some of the larger items include: A Ride with an Ankeny Police Officer for a Day, St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins Premium Tickets, 10-day Service Trip to South Africa, a 4-Night Stay in the Bahamas, a Garden Shed Built by DMACC Trade Students, A Patio Party for Up to 75 Guests on the Roof Top of TOAST, an E-Bike, Lasik Eye Surgery, Chicks Tickets at the Iowa State Fair, a 42 bottle Wine Cooler, Invisalign Treatment for Your Teeth, and more. Registration, the social, and Casino style gaming begin at 5:00 PM. Dinner will be served from 6:30 to 7:45. The program and live auction will begin at 8:00 PM. It should be a fun evening!! |
Rotarians Get MarriedTwo Ankeny Rotarians got married last week!! John Biga and Clare Sotrdahl took off for Las Vegas on March 15th and got married there. Jim Ramsey and Kristi Leuthold were married in the Hope Lutheran Chapel in West Des Moines on March 25th. Congratulations to all the newlyweds!!     |
Community Service Grant Ideas NeededEach year the Rotary Club of Ankeny is eligible to apply for a Community Service Grant from District 6000. These grants can be up to $5,000 which must be matched by the club making a total of up to $10,000 available to a local service project. A club can apply for more than one grant if the club wants to split these funds between two or more projects. Ankeny's project for 2022-2023 is to plant 50 trees along the bike trail south of the Ankeny Market Pavilion. Past project have included a potato digger for the AGAPE garden, technology equipment for the new library, equipment for New Horizons Adult Daycare, and equipment for the Ankeny Service Center. Ideas are needed for a grant or two for the 2023-2024 Rotary year, Let a Board member know if you know of a project that you would like to have considered for a grant. The deadline to apply is June 1. To allow time for the application to be completed, a project should be selected soon.
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May Rotary Board Meeting
The Rotary Club of Ankeny's Board meets on the second Thursday of each month. The May Board meeting will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, May 11th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
Welcome New MembersTwo new members were inducted into the Noon Rotary Club of Ankeny in March. They were: Jenny Fields, Associate Director Relationship Events for the Alzheimer's Association of Iowa. Jenny contacted the club through the Rotary International website. Sally Schroeder will be her mentor. Jenny was inducted as a new member on March 7th. Nancy Zwickel is a Private Banking Officer at First Interstate Bank. Brad Botos proposed her for membership. She was inducted on March 14.   Welcome Jenny and Nancy!!
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April Rotary Board Meeting
The April Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, April 13th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
April Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in April: 9th - Juan Arias 12th - Neil Fell 18th - Brendan Maher 18th - Diana Tran 20th - Brodey Hanson 22nd -Joe Smeltzer 27th - Bret Lindquist 29th - Heidi Kramer
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Prospective New Members
The Board has approved two applications for membership to the evening club. Shevaughn Moore, Business Development Manager with Action Coach Vanguard and Gabriel Moore, Firm Owner and CEO of Action Coach Vanguard. Steve Wieneke is the proposer. Comments regarding these prospective new members may be forwarded to any Board member. |
Welcome New Member Jenny Fields
Jenny Fields is and Associate Director Relationship Events for the Alzheimer's Association of Iowa. Jenny contacted the club through the Rotary International website. Sally Schroeder will be her mentor. Jenny was inducted as a new member of the noon club on March 7th. Welcome Jenny!
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CIVITAS - Save the Date
The next CIVITAS, Central Iowa Rotary Club's forum, will be held on Tuesday, May 2nd at 4:30 PM at the Hilton Garden Inn in West Des Moines. The forum will be focused again on "Human Trafficking". Both the noon and evening club's meetings are being cancelled on this date and the Club will pay your registration fee to encourage members to attend. More information and registration coming soon but for now "Save the Date" and plan to attend!!
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March is Water & Sanitation Month
The Rotary theme for March, Water and Sanitation, asks us to focus on the life changing improvements that we can make through international projects to provide a more readily available and healthy supply of water to all people. Here is an excerpt from this month’s message by TRF Trustee Chair, Rotarian Ian H.S. Riseley, published in the March edition of "Rotary". “Water is essential for life no matter where we live. Yet many of us take it for granted. Think of all the times today you turned on the tap. About 1 in 4 people in the world have quite a different experience when they do - if they have a tap at all. Today, 2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water, according to the United Nations. It is heartbreaking that each year, about 300,000 children under age 5 die from diarrheal diseases caused by poor sanitation, poor hygiene, or unsafe drinking water - all preventable circumstances. This is where Rotary comes in. Through your support, The Rotary Foundation provides water and sanitation for countless communities around the globe. Foundational grants have ranged from providing toilets and hygiene education for villages in the Philippines to building infrastructure for year-round access to safe, affordable drinking water in Brazil. The water and sanitation problems that we face are too great for any of us to solve alone. But whether we work with global grant partner districts across the world or with large agencies such as USAID, we are making a difference.” |
38 Days to Fundraiser & Counting
It is now only 38 days until our Club's "Raise The Stakes for Community" fundraiser on April 15th. We can still use a couple additional live and a few more silent auction items. We need to receive these additional auction items by March 28th. This will allow time for these items to be packaged, pictures taken, and entered on our web site. The auction brochure must then be completed and printed. We hope to be able to allow bidding to start on the silent auction items by the week of April 3rd. Also, we still need to sell an additional 150 tickets. If you have not as yet purchased your table or individual tickets please do so as soon as possible by going to our web site, https://bidpartner.net/rotary/.
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Have You Paid Your Rotary Invoice?
As of March 1st, the Club had 31 members that had not as yet paid their third quarter Rotary invoice. The due date for these invoices was February 3rd. If you have not completed this payment, please forward you check to Jim Ramsey, 911 N. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny, Iowa 50023 as soon as possible. We would appreciate all of these past due invoices being paid by the end of March. If you are not sure if you have anything due, you can check you account balance on our ClubRunner web site. To check you account, log on to our web site. Then click on "My Account Balance" in the green box under "Edit My Profile". The most recent invoices will be shown or you can click on "All Transactions" to see your complete history.
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CIVITAS - May 2, 2023The Greater Des Moines Rotary Multi-Club Committee is holding its annual CIVITAS event on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. The program will continue to focus on Human Trafficking! The Rotary Club of Ankeny has committed to cancel both the noon and evening meetings on May 2nd and pay the registration fee for those attending to allow members to focus on this important event. The event will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, West Des Moines, with registration at 4:00 and the program from 4:40-6:15. There will be a wonderful line-up of speakers this year including a trafficking survivor, Casey's representative, and a judicial/legislative professional. The speakers will be covering a diverse range of angles on this terrible issue. We will also be sharing the collective impact our clubs have had in the past year in supporting member education and community service to nonprofits working in this field. Register to attend by signing up at a noon or evening meeting.
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Final Call for D-6000 Celebration
Twenty-six members of noon and evening clubs have now registered the 2023 District 6000 Annual Conference, which will be a one evening event at each of three different locations, Carroll, Coralville and West Des Moines. The West Des Moines Conference will be held on Saturday, April 29th at the Hilton Garden Inn. The Club will pay your registration fee of $45 if you attend. If you have not as yet registered, complete the registration form and get it to Nate prior to the deadline for early registration, March 15th so you can join in the "Celebration of Your Accomplishments". Registration forms are available at weekly meetings or contact Nate at nfburnham@gmail.com.
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Prospective New Members
The Board has approved two applications for membership to the noon club. Jenny Fields, Associate Director Relationship/Events for the Alzheimer’s Association has a background in marketing, event planning, fundraising, and networking. Nancy Zwickel is a Private Banking Officer at First Interstate Bank. Tim Cox is the proposer. Comments regarding these prospective new members may be forwarded to any Board member.
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Welcome New Member Hans Hoeksema
Hans Hoeksema is Advancement Director for Ankeny Christian Academy and was proposed for membership by Richard Bergez. Prior to coming to ACA last year Hans was the Director of Philanthropy Projects at WesleyLife and before that was manager of Grant Writing at Lutheran Services in Iowa. He was inducted as a new member of the noon club on February 14th. Welcome Hans!
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Imagine Rotary Theme Shirts for Sale
Rotary District 6000 is offering you the chance to purchase a 2022-2023 theme t-shirt. You can wear this shirt proudly when you are doing community service projects or any time. You can order directly from the Wee’s Tees Web Store by going to https://imaginerotary-2.itemorder.com/shop/home/. Shirts are made of 50% cotton and 50% polyester. The shirts are only $11, plus $1 handling fee for a total of $12 for M, L, & XL - $14 for 2XL. The shirts come in gray or yellow. Let Nate Burnham or Brenda Wieneke know if you would like to order a shirt. District Governor Steve Wieneke will also have some shirts for sale at the Spring Education Assembly and the District 6000 Regional Conferences in April 2023. |
March Rotarian BirthdaysThe following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in March: 7th - Andrew Larson 8th - Craig Block 9th - Trent Murphy 12th - Zane Smith 18th - Stacey Koeppen 23rd - Preston Williams 25th - John Biga 25th - Brandon Converse 27th - Chase Netusil 27th - Raj Reddy
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March Rotary Board Meeting
The March Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, March 9th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
"A Celebration of Your Accomplishments" District 6000 Conference
The 2023 District 6000 Annual Conference, "A Celebration of Your Accomplishments" will be a one evening event at three different locations, Carroll, Coralville and West Des Moines. The West Des Moines Conference will be held on Saturday, April 29th at the Hilton Garden Inn. Registration is now available. For Ankeny Rotarians that would like to attend the conference, your Board has approved paying the $45 registration fee for all members and spouses. Registration forms are available at noon and evening Rotary meetings or go to the District 6000 website and print out a registration form. After completing the registration form, give it to Nate Burnham and he will get you registered using the Club credit card to pay the registration fee. Be sure to get your registration submitted by March 15th so we can take advantage of the "early bird" discount.
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50 Year Celebration, A Great Night!The Rotary Club of Ankeny held celebrated the 50th anniversary of it's being chartered with a gala at the FFA Enrichment Center on Saturday evening January 21st. The Evening included Ankeny Mayor Mark Holm reading a proclamation from the City of Ankeny recognizing the Club for 50 years of service in the Ankeny community, District Governor Steve Wieneke reading a certificate form Rotary International President Jennifer Jones honoring the Club, Nate Burnham providing some club history and recognizing all past president including 23 in attendance, Steve SchraderBachar recognizing 19 new Paul Harris Fellow and 14 that have reached a new level, President Brian Tiernan recognizing Steve SchraderBachar for becoming a Benefactor to the Rotary Foundation, Sally Schroeder announcing the Club's "50 Trees for 50 Years" project and several champagne toasts. Thank you to Sally Schroeder for chairing the 50th anniversary committee, to Tim Cox for acting as our Master of Ceremony and to everyone that contributed to the success of this celebration. Here are a few pictures and more pictures are available on the Club's web site in the "Photo Albums" section on the home page.          |
Todd Eipperle in KuwaitThe following is from Todd Eipperle's Face book page on Janaury28th. "I was honored to serve as guest speaker for Equal Opportunity Leaders Course Graduation Ceremony. I always feel good when I get a chance to influence Soldiers strengthening their leadership tool box."   You can follow Todd's activities on his Facebook page.
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Jamie Pollard to Speak to Ankeny Rotary
Iowa State Athletic Director, Jamie Pollard, will be the guest speaker at the noon Rotary Club of Ankeny on April 11th. This will be a great opportunity to invite a prospective new member to attend a Rotary meeting! We anticipate a larger than normal attendance and will need to provide the AG&CC with an estimate of the number planning to attend. Please advise Kent Patterson, Kent.Patterson@edwardjones.com, if you plan to attend and how many guests you will be bringing. Space is limited!!
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2023-2024 Rotary Theme
District Governor elect Dennis Drager and Heidi attended the Rotary International Assembly in Orlando, Florida on January 8-12. During the Assembly 2023-2024 Rotary International President-Elect, R. Gordon R. McInally announced his these for the year. It is "Create Hope in the World" When presenting his Theme McInally stated "....these are our plans for the year ahead: that we help bring peace to the world and soothe those afflicted by conflict, and that we help each other and our communities deal with our own internal struggles, and that we end the stigma associated with asking for help. In all these actions, the goal is to create hope — to help the world heal from destructive conflicts, and, in turn, to help us achieve lasting change for ourselves. Rotary helps create the conditions for peace, opportunity, and a future worth living. By continuing what we do best, by remaining open and willing to change, and by keeping our focus on building peace in the world and within ourselves, Rotary helps create a more peaceful world, a more hopeful world. As Rotary’s leaders from all the regions, I urge you to "Create Hope in the World".
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Noon New Member Orientation
The Membership committee will conduct a new member orientation at 11:00 AM prior to the noon meeting on February 28th at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club. All new members are invited to attend and anyone else that may have any questions regarding Rotary and our Club.
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"Raise the Stakes for Community"
Now that the 50th Anniversary Gala is behind us, it's time to concentrate on the Club's 2023 fundraiser, “Raise the Stakes for Community” which will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023 at the FFA Enrichment Center on the campus of DMACC in Ankeny. All members need to plan to attend, buy tickets, (preferably a table of 8), and obtain auction items. We will have 20-22 larger, live auction items and need about 100 items to be sold during the silent auctions. Generally, any restraurant, will provide a gift card and most retail stores will donate an items, for our auction. You just have to ask! Any item, large or small, is acceptable. The evening will be similiar to past years, with everyone purchasing a ticket receiving chips to play the games which will include Black Jack, Roulette, Craps, Poker, Three Card Poker and Let It Ride. Complimentary wine and beer will be available throughout the evening and a buffet dinner will be available beginning at 6:30 PM. In addition to a silent auction, there will be a program that will begin at 8:00 PM which will include, "Heads or Tails", dessert auction, paddle raisers, "100 for 100 Raffle" and a live auction. A new feature this year will be the Brazilian Twins performing in the atrium as you play at the tables. They came from a reality in which some days it was hard to smile. Now their desire is to positively impact the world and bring a smile to everyone they encounter. There will also be "Caricature By Steph" available to create a hilarious drawing of your face. Steph loves to make people smile and enjoys the laughter that each drawing brings as it is revealed. And magician, Jonathan May will be strolling to amaze you with close up magical moments. Tickets, $75 each or a table of 8 for $550, and sponsorships may be purchased on-line at https://bidpartner.net/rotary/
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Proclamation from Ankeny Mayor Mark HolmAnkeny Mayor, Mark Holm, recognized the Rotary Club of Ankeny on their 50 years of service to the Ankeny Community prior to the City Council's meeting on January 17th. Mayor Holm then attended the Club's 50th anniversary gala on January 21st and read the proclamation to the club. Congratulations, to the Rotary Club of Ankeny!!    |
Prospective New Member Hans Hoeksma
The Board has approved an application for membership to the noon club from Hans Hoeksema. Hans is Advancement Director for Ankeny Christian Academy and is being proposed for membership by Richard Bergez. Prior to coming to ACA last year Hans was the Director of Philanthropy Projects at WesleyLife and before that was manager of Grant Writing at Lutheran Services in Iowa. Comments regarding these prospective new members may be forwarded to any Board member.
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Welcome New MembersTwo new members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny on January 24th. Preston Williams, Jedi Wizard, was added as an additional member to noon corporate member Jul's Design and Al Martine joined the evening club. Al is an IT Consultant/Project Manager with Central Scribe in Ankeny.   |
Ankeny Recognized by RI President Jennifer JonesDistrict Governor Steve Wieneke received a certificate from Rotary International President Jennifer Jones honoring the Rotary Club of Ankeny for "50 Years of Membership". Steve read the certificate during the Club's 50 Year Gala on January 21st and then presented it to Club President Brian Tiernan.   |
AGAPE Garden Growing & Feeding Others!Craig Crist provided us with a report on the total harvest for the past year at AGAPE Garden. Production was down this year due to a potato beetle and less than desired rain, but the Garden still produces 7,000 pounds. This makes the total harvest for the past 13 years 185,104 pounds. From 2002, the first year of the Garden through 2009 the production was not documented. Craig also has advised us that he is stepping down from Co-Leading the management of the Garden after 14 years. Thank you Craig for your hard work and dedication to the Garden. It is impossible to imagine how many hungry mouths have been fed from the Garden and your efforts. This is Craig's favorite picture taken at the garden with his beloved granddaughter Fiona and his canine companion Gracie.
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Save the Date for Annual Meeting
The date for the Rotary Club of Ankeny's "Annual Meeting and Gavel Passing" has been set for Tuesday evening June 27th. Save the date on your calendar and plan to attend to witness the passing of the gavel, perfect attendance awards, "Rotarian of the Year", "Outstanding New Member of the Year", and more.
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February Rotary Board MeetingThe February Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, February 9th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
February Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in February: 2nd - Mike Goedeke 4th - Jim Blessman 6th - Doug Parker 8th - Terry Peter 10th - Zeb Goen 12th - Chris Baker 17th - Cathy McDaniel 17th - Andy Schnurr 26th - Steve SchraderBachar
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Prospective New MembersThe Board has approved two new applications for membership. Juhl's Design has applied to add Preston Williams to their Corporate Membership. Preston's title is Jedi Wizard. Al Martine is applying to join the Evening Satellite Club. He is an IT Consultant/Project Manager with Central Scribe in Ankeny. Comments regarding these prospective new members may be forwarded to any Board member.
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Rotary PolioPlus Night at the Iowa Wolves
The annual PolioPlus night at the Iowa Wolves will be Saturday, February 4th at 7:00 PM at Wells Fargo Arena. The Wolves will be playing the Austin Spurs and promos that night include Country Night with a post-game concert and $2 Beer night with a koozie giveaway. The tickets are discounted to $20 each with $10 from each refunded to the Club to be donated to PolioPlus. Tickets may be purchased online at https://fevo.me/polioplus23 or use the signup sheet to indicate how many tickets you would like, and the Club will place a group order and charge the tickets on your April quarterly invoice. Use the signup sheet if you would like to purchase tickets to be donated. If ordering your tickets on-line, be sure, when checking out, to indicate you are with the Rotary Club of Ankeny. Alex Barker, Iowa Wolves Account Manager, plans to attend our noon meeting and Ed Arnold, NW Des Moines Rotary Club, the Evening meeting on January 3rd to provide more details and answer any questions. Each dollar donated will be matched 2 for 1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation resulting in each ticket purchased providing 50 children with the polio vaccination.
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Welcome 2023!! |
A Fun Rotary Holiday SocialApproximately 75 Rotarians and guests attended the Club's holiday social at Briarwood Golf Club on the evening of December 13th. Entertainment included a brass choir from the Ankeny Community Band, an appearance by "Bad Santa", and everyone playing "JEPROTARY". Thank you to everyone that helped plan the social and especially to Marie Kline, Cathy McDaniel, Cathy Maher, and Shannon Maher. Also, thank you to Jeff Dammam for arranging the brass choir.     |
Rotarians Bell Ringing
Ankeny Rotarians rang the bell for the Salvation Army at both HyVees in Ankeny on Saturday December 10th from 10 AM to 8 PM. At the Ankeny Blvd. HyVee, $929.04 was collected and $761.92 was collected at the Oralabor HyVee for a total of $1,690.96. In addition, the club had agreed to match the amount collected up to $1,000 making the total raised $2,690.96. Major Butch Frost attended the Club's noon meeting on December 20th to accept the Club's check and thank the Club for helping to ring the bell. Thank you to each member and family that helped ring the bell and a special thank you to Anne Porter for organizing this service project.         |
Todd Eipperle UpdateTodd Eipperle departed Ankeny on December 5th to meet up with the 143d Sustainment Command Expeditionary (ESC) in Orlando Florida. The unit consists of Soldiers representing 32 states including California, New York, Iowa and Puerto Rico. The143d ESC Soldiers will provide mission command, combat support, and combat service support in supply, maintenance, transportation, and field services while coordinating the tactical operations of the rotational, functional, and sustainment brigades. Additionally, they will serve as the forward operational command post for the 1st Theater Sustainment Command and be critical to supporting three named operations in the U.S. Army Central Command Area of Responsibility: Spartan Shield, Inherent Resolve, and Enduring Sentinel. Then on December 8th, the 143rd got a flight on a plane donated by the New England Patriots, to Fort Hood, Texas mobilezation base camp. They then deployed and arrived in Kuwait in late December. Looks like they had quite a feast for Christmas. You can follow Todd on his Facebook page. His address in Kuwait is: SGM Eipperle, Todd 1 TSC / 143 ESC / G6 APO, AE 09366 United States          |
January Rotary Board MeetingThe January Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, Janaury 12th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
January Rotarian BirthdaysThe following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in January: 6th - Pennington, Jack 15th - Lanning, Jenna 19th - THE ROTARY CLUB OF ANKENY - 50th Anniversary! 20th - Schroeder, Sally 21st - Matter, Nicole 27th - Damman, Jeff 28th - Spahr, Roger 31st - Gocke, Jim |
Oh What Fun! Jingle & Mingle with Ankeny RotaryNearly 70 members and guests have registered for the Rotary Club of Ankeny's annual Rotary Holiday social to be held on Tuesday, December 13th at Briarwood Golf Club. Each member may bring one guest. The cost per person attending is $25 that will be charged to the member on the club's January invoices. If you you have not register yet, contact Nate at nfburnham@gmail.com, for assistance. The deadline to register is Tuesday, December 6th.  |
2023 Fundraiser - "Raise the Stakes for Community"
The Rotary Club of Ankeny’s 2023 fundraiser “Raise the Stakes for Community” will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023. It will be held at the FFA Enrichment Center on the campus of DMACC in Ankeny. The evening will begin with appetizers and professional Las Vegas style gaming tables open for action at 5:00 PM. Everyone purchasing a ticket will receive chips to play the games which will include Black Jack, Roulette, Craps, Poker, Three Card Poker and Let It Ride. Complimentary wine and beer will be available throughout the evening and a buffet dinner will be available beginning at 6:30 PM. In addition to a silent auction, there will be a program that will begin at 8:00 PM which will include, "Heads or Tails", dessert auction, paddle raisers, "100 for 100 Raffle" and a live auction. A highlight of the evening will be the Brazilian Twins performing in the atrium as you play at the tables. They came from a reality in which some days it was hard to smile. Now their desire is to positively impact the world and bring a smile to everyone they encounter. There will also be "Caricature By Steph" available to create a hilarious drawing of your face. Steph loves to make people smile and enjoys the laughter that each drawing brings as it is revealed. And magician, Jonathan May will be strolling to amaze you with close up magical moments. All members are encouraged to purchase tickets, attend this event, donate bottles of wine for the Wall of Wine, and help obtain auction items. Tickets will be $75 each or a table of 8 is $550 and will be available for purchase on-line in a couple weeks.. |
50th Anniversary Gala
Invitations have gone out for the Club's "50th Anniversary Gala" to be held Saturday, January 21, 2023 at the FFA Enrichment Center. All current members, past presidents, several District 6000 and City of Ankeny dignitaries have been invited. The dress for this event will be semi-formal. Members should have received their invitation by email and need to use the RSVP card to provide the name of their guest, if any, and their meal preference, and return it with your check. They can also bring their checkbook to a Rotary meeting and turn in their RSVP and check there!! |
Rotary Float in Rose Parade
Rotary International will have a float in the Rose Bowl Parade for the 43nd consecutive year. The theme for the 2023 Rose Parade is "Turning the Corner" - celebrating rising above – alone, or with family, friends and community. The theme for Rotary's float is "Serving With Imagination and Hope" and will highlight the progress of Rotary and its partners in our quest to help educate people around the world. Tune onto the Rose parade and watch for the Rotary International float.
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Rotarians to Ring Bell For the Salvation Army.jpg)
Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Ankeny have been ringing the bell in each of the past 5 years during the holiday season for the Salvation Army. Club members will be ringing the bell again this year at both HyVee locations (north and south) on Saturday, December 10th from 10:00 am - 8:00 pm. The Club's Board has agreed to match all donations collected during this time up to $1,000! Contact Anne Porter, anneporterrn@gmail.com, with any questions or if you would like to work a one-hour shift (or more). This is a fun activity, counts as a make-up, and you can bring your children and spouse!
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Prospective New Corporate Member - Karl's Chevrolet
The Board has approved an application for a corporate membership to the noon club from Karls Chevrolet. Karl's has been a major sponsor for the Club's fundraiser for several years. Tony Mills, Marketing Director, will be the Primary Contact and Joseph Smeltzer, Sales and Leasing Professional, will be an additional member. They are being proposed for membership by Laura Luetje. Comments regarding these proposed members may be directed to any Board member.
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Welcome New Member Zeb Goen
Zeb Goen was inducted into the Ankeny Evening Rotary Club on November 22nd. Zeb is a Software Design Consultant with Creative Cloud Lab, L.L.C.. |
Rotary Club of Ankeny Recognized by Rotary Foundation During Rotary District 6000's Foundation Dinner on October 21st. The Rotary Club of Ankeny was recognized for our contributions to the Rotary Foundation. Of more than 36,000 Rotary Clubs worldwide Ankeny was recognized as one of only 4,500 clubs worldwide to become a 100% Foundation Giving Club, one of only 3,900 clubs worldwide to attain status as an "Every Rotarian, Every Year" club, and one of only 1,530 clubs to achieve Top Three Highest in per Capita Annual Giving honors in their district.
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Happy Hour Honor's Todd EipperleUS Army Reserve Sergeant Major Todd Eipperle will be deployed to Kuwait for one year beginning on December 4, 2022. Todd will serve with the143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), U.S. Army Reserve under the U.S. Central Command. This will be Todd's third deployment. From May 2010 to November 2011 as an Iowa National soldier, Todd deployed to Afghanistan with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th infantry Division, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was assigned to an Afghan National Army embedded training team to help mentor Afghan police and military leadership. On July 9, 2011, two weeks before he was scheduled to return home, Todd was driving one of two vehicles in Afghanistan's Panhshir Province, when they were approached by an Afghan security person who started shooting and killed both the driver of the other vehicle and a civilian passenger. Todd got out of his vehicle and returned fire, killing the attacker however he was shot in the shoulder and near the knee. He was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, with valor, for his actions. Todd was also deployed from March 2003 to May 2004 to Iraq with the 234th Signal Battalion, Iowa National Guard, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom The Club's "Happy Hour" social with noon & evening club members at B&B Theaters on November 8th was converted to a deployment party for Todd. The club purchased a party package including an hour of bowling and the party room. Thirty-seven members and guests were present to wish Todd well and to give him a proper Rotary send off. A highly decorated bowling pin was available for everyone to sign to wish Todd a safe and successful deployment.    The winners of the bowling prizes were, Kent Patterson - "Highest Bowling Score", Kristofer Orth - "Gutter - Ball?? - Talk??", Patty Munguia - "Fanciest Bowler".     Thank you to Cathy Maher for making arrangements for the party including the cake and decorating the bowling pins.
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Evening Club Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary
The Rotary Club of Ankeny launched a Satellite Evening Club with the induction of three members on November 20, 2012. The first inductees were Kristofer Orth, Steve Wieneke, and Amanda Rosmann. Also, Karl Koedam had been inducted into the noon Club on Nov. 13th but soon transferred to the Evening Group and Chad Sorenson joined the group on December 4th. They became the core original group of the Evening Club. Only Kristofer and Steve are still members. Amanda, resigned after learning she was expecting a baby, Karl a job change, and Chad due to family obligations. But the club slowly added other new members and now, 10 years later, has 31 active members.
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"50th Anniversary Moment" - Rotarian of the Year
The Rotary Club of Ankeny is now one month from completing 50 years of service to the Ankeny Community and will be celebrating with a gala on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at the FFA Enrichment Center. Here is some history of the Rotary Club of Ankeny's "Rotarian of The Year": During the Board meeting on September 2, 1980, Ben Norman proposed a plan to recognize one outstanding member of the Club each year as the "Rotarian of the Year". He said this should help to develop a spirit of closeness internally and good public relations externally. In 1981, Milt Anun was recognized as the Club's first recipient of this award. It was felt it was only right to recognize him for all he did to get the Rotary Club of Ankeny chartered and having served as the first President of the Club. He was also made him the Club's first Paul Harris Fellow. Each year since 1981, the Club has recognized a member as the Rotarian of the Year and in four years, two members have been recognized as co-recipients. A total of 46 Rotarians have been recognized. Twenty-two of these recipients are still members of the Club today. Only one member has been recognized twice, Gerry Bair in 1995 and again in 2005.
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Board Approves Donation Requests.jpg)
During their November meeting, the following donation requests were approved:
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December Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in December: 1st - Patty Munguia 2nd - Chuck Stewart 3rd - Sherry Kulbalsky 3rd - Scott Port 12th - Rich Job 12th - Sharon Winkel 14th - Tim Cox 15th - Dylan Dyer 16th - Doug Ripley 18th - Cathy Maher 19th - Richard Bergez 21st - Doug Beech |
December Rotary Board Meeting
The December Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, December 8th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
November Rotary Board Meeting
The November Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, November10th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
Rotary Halloween Guests
Queen Elizabeth II, AKA Sally Schroeder, and the Fireball Man, AKA Nate Burnham, made guest appearances at the noon Rotary meeting on October 25th. They were a few days early for Halloween, so they did not get any treats.
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"Oh What Fun! Jingle & Mingle with Ankeny Rotary"
Registration is now open for the annual Rotary Holiday social, “Oh What Fun! Jingle & Mingle with Ankeny Rotary”, to be held on Tuesday, December 13th at Briarwood Golf Club, 3405 NE Trilien Drive. There will be a social hour beginning at 5:45 with dinner to be served at 6:30. Each member may bring one guest. The cost per person attending is $25 that will be charged to the member on the club's January invoices. Each member should have received an invitation by email with registration information. If you did not receive this invitation contact Nate at nfburnham@gmail.com, for assistance.
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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's New Commitment
On October 16, 2022, at the World Health Summit, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced it will commit $1.2 billion to support efforts to end all forms of polio globally. The announcement was made ahead of a key pledging moment that was co-hosted by Germany and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) on October 18. The new financial commitment will support implementation of the GPEI’s Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026, which aims to end wild poliovirus in the last two endemic countries—Pakistan and Afghanistan—and stop outbreaks of new variants of the virus. The foundation has contributed nearly $5 billion to GPEI. “Polio eradication is within reach. But as far as we have come, the disease remains a threat. Working together, the world can end this disease,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “The fight against polio has done far more than protect children against polio. It has played a key role in strengthening health systems,” said Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Polio workers have been especially vital in responding to COVID-19 and reaching communities about the importance of vaccination against preventable diseases.” The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is a public-private partnership led by national governments with six core partners; Rotary International, the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. |
Rotary Foundation Recognizes Rotary Club of Ankeny
At the District 6000 Foundation dinner on October 22nd, the Rotary Club of Ankeny was recognized for our contributions to the Rotary Foundation. During the 2021-2022 Rotary year our club made contributions to the Foundation of $23,055 to the Annual fund and $8,392 to Polio Plus for a total of $31,447 which equals $305 per member. We were also recognized as a 100% Foundation Giving Club. Rich Job attended the banquet and brought the following letter back to the Club. On behalf of the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation, please accept this special 2021-2022 banner as an expression of our sincere appreciation for your membership's generous support of the Annual Fund. Your club is distinguished from more than 36,000 Rotary Clubs worldwide as being one or more of the following:
Please convey our gratitude to every member of your club for their generous gifts to our Rotary Foundation. Your support enables Rotary members to tackle the world's toughest challenges both in your community and across the globe. Congratulations and thank you for making The Rotary Foundation a continued priority in your club. Sincerely, Eric Schmelling, Chief Philanthropy Officer, The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International
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Evening Club Completes Service ProjectsThe Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening Satellite Club met on Tuesday, October 18 for two different community service projects. One group went to the Ankeny Service Center and did some painting, recycling, and cleaning. The other group did yard cleanup at a local resident's home. Thank you, Ankeny Rotarians, for volunteering in our community!      |
Deployment Party for Todd Eipperle - November 8th
US Army Reserve Sergeant Major Todd Eipperle has been advised he will be deployed to Kuwait for one year beginning on December 1, 2022. We would like to use the Club's social with noon & evening club members at B Roll Bowling @ B&B Theaters (1508 SW Market St.) on Tuesday November 8th as a deployment party for Todd. The party will begin at 5:30 pm. and for those that want to bowl, bowling will begin at 6:00 pm. If you wish to bowl and have not as yet registered, please send an email to Cathy Maher, cathymaher451@gmail.com, to let her know how many lanes to reserve. We will also be reserving their party room for when we are done bowling and for those not bowling. Please plan to attend and help give Todd a proper Rotary send off.
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2023 Fundraiser - April 15, 2023
The Club's next "Raise the Stakes for Community" fundraiser will be held at the FFA Enrichment Center on April 15, 2023. Now is the time to begin gathering auction items. Remember experience items and creative ideas make the event extra special! Think about your wish list or dream item/event….have you seen something at a recent event? We have some holes to fill from last year's items, so we need to start thinking now! Let Laura or Stacey know if you have contacts for items such as a limo, trips/experience travel, professional sporting or event tickets, concert tickets, vehicle lease, or any other item you think would make a great live auction item. We have reached out to some new larger sponsors (in addition to Polk County and Prairie Meadows) and we are waiting to hear back and we already have Lasik eye surgery confirmed and 12 live auction desserts, courtesy of Kathy Gocke, Foggy Bottom Farms and Sweet to Eat Bakery. Doug Beech and Brian Tiernan will be in touch soon with the club competition and rounding up ticket sales and additional sponsorships. Keep your eyes out for the new promo materials - our new signature color is green and tell your friends to save the date. New this year will be the Brazilian Twins (high energy fiddler entertainers), additional magic, caricature artists, roaming photographer, and a new photo booth experience! Let’s make this the best one yet!! Our next fundraiser planning meeting will be November 8 at 11:00 am at Ankeny Golf & Country Club. Please join us if you are willing to volunteer to help with the Event. We need everyone's help. . Laura Luetje & Stacey Koeppen |
November Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in November: 3rd - Steve Wieneke 4th - Nate Burnham 8th - Julie Mangels 11th - Laura Luetje 12th - Jim Foreman 25th - Jan Franck 25th - Del Mohler 26th - Kathy Sibbel 29th - Darius Potts
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Prospective New Members
The Board has approved three new applications for membership. Juhl's Design/QB Studios has submitted an application to add Josh Finch, "da finci", and John Tompkins, "awesomeness advisor", to their corporate membership. Josh will be the Primary Contact. Zeb Goen is applying to join the Evening Satellite Club. He is a Software Design Consultant with Creative Cloud Lab, L.L.C.. Comments regarding these prospective new members may be forwarded to any Board member. |
Pints & Pumpkins
On Saturday, October 8th, there was a special event held at the Ankeny Market & Pavilion. It was called "Pints & Pumpkins" and was a special fall Farmer's Market. The Evening Rotary Club of Ankeny had a booth at the event. Over 300 free books were passed throughout the evening. They also had a PLINKO game that the children could play and win prizes. A free will donation to the food pantry at Our Lady's Immaculate Heart Catholic Church raised $360 which will go to their food pantry. This was a great service project for literacy, as well as food insecurity, which are two of Rotary District Governor Steve Wieneke's initiatives this year. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help with this event.
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Prospective New Members - Bradley Butin & Sherry Kubalsky
The Board has approved two new applications for membership. B & B Theaters has applied to add Bradley Butin to their Corporate Membership. Bradley has been with the theaters for several years and is now assuming the position of Marketing and Events Coordinator. Sherry Kubalsky is applying to join the Evening Satellite Club. She has spoken to both the noon and the evening club in the past several months. She was the author of children’s books and donates the sales proceeds to the “Save the Rain” project. Comments regarding these prospective new members may be forwarded to any Board member. |
Iowa State Rotary TailgateOn September 17th, prior to ISU defeating Ohio by the score of 43-10, Ankeny Rotarians prepared for the game with a tailgate in the parking lot. Since it was an early game, the snacks included an egg casserole, donuts, and sausage. Drinks included "Cowboy Coffee", mimosas and Bloody Mary's. No one minded the few sprinkles, and everyone enjoyed the pregame festivities. Thanks to Todd Eipperle for organizing the tailgate.     |
Rotary Happy HoursThe September Happy Hour for the Ankeny noon and evening groups was held at the Uptown Garage on September 13th.     Happy Hour socials for the noon and evening groups are held on the second Tuesday of each month. The next Happy Hour will be on October 11th at Benchwarmer's (705 S. Ankeny Blvd.) beginning at 5:30 pm. Cathy McDaniel will lead the group in a "Speed Meeting" activity. |
Second Rotary/ISU Tailgate - October 8th
The second Rotary/ISU tailgate this year will be Saturday, October 8th when the Cyclones play Kansas State at Jack Trice Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 PM and the tailgate will begin at 1:00 PM. Look for the blue Rotary tent in parking lot A4. All Rotarians, family, and guests are welcome to attend. Some snacks and beverages will be provided but you are welcome to bring your favorite drink and snack to share if you would like. Go Cyclones!! |
Welcome Back - Tracy Frette
Tracey Frette is a Senior Mortgage Lender with LSB. She was previously a member of the Club from 2018 to 2020 but resigned in 2020 due to the pandemic and her work load that did not allow her to attend meetings. She was inducted back into the Club by President Tiernan at the noon meeting on September 27th. Welcome back Tracy!!
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Rotary Foundation Minute - Programs of Scale
In response to Rotary International’s focus on increasing its impact, and mobilizing networks in order to create lasting solutions, TRF created Programs of Scale to support Rotary member-led, evidence-based programs with demonstrated success. Each year, Programs of Scale will support a competitive grant process resulting in one award of $2 million from TRF that is distributed over a three-to five-year period to a club -or district-sponsored program showing success and readiness to expand to help more people in more places. TRF $2,000,000 Programs of Scale Recipient for this year, is The Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria. Aimed at reducing the maternal and neonatal mortality rates in four Nigerian states by 25%, the grant is a collaboration of the following entities: Rotary Districts 1860 (Germany); 9110, 9125, 9141 and 9142 (Nigeria); the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health; Nigerian Federal and State Ministries of Health; Medical Associations and Community Leaders. The $2 million grant will enable the program to provide education and training for quality care, knowledge of healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies and full adoption of the national system for death surveillance and response. In addition, the grant will expand health education for families as well as access to quality clinical care for pregnant women, mothers and babies. |
Packing Meals From the HeartlandThe Evening group completed a service project of packaging meals for Meals from the Heartland on the evening of September 20th. President Magner presented a check to Meals From the Heartland in the amount of $500. This will cover the cost of the ingredients for the 44 boxes with 36 meals in each for a total of 1584 meals.    |
"50th Anniversary Moment" - Attendance
The Rotary Club of Ankeny is now 3 months from completing 50 years of service to the Ankeny Community and will be celebrating with a gala on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at the FFA Enrichment Center. Here is a moment from the Rotary Club of Ankeny: Attendance at Rotary meetings was very important when the club was first chartered. At a Board meeting on December 15, 1975, the Board adopted a policy to strictly enforce the following two attendance rules: "Membership will be terminated if a member has four consecutive unexcused absences which are not made up." and "Membership will be terminated if attendance, including make-ups and excused absences, falls below 60% for any 6-month period." Any member who missed three consecutive meetings were to receive a letter or telephone call reminding them of the four-meeting rule. The Board was also concerned about too many "early birds" - members not staying for the whole meeting. They raised the fine for leaving a meeting early, not staying for at least 2/3 of the meeting, from 25 cents to $1.00 and agreed to a limit of one early bird per member per month. Another sign of the significance the Club put on attendance was in each weekly newsletter the percentage of members attending meetings year to date was published as well as a section called "We Missed You!" that named the members that were not at the previous week's meeting and another section that listed the members with "100% Attendance" for the year.
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October Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in October: 5th - Mary Cochran 12th - Marie Kline 20th - Kristofer Orth 22nd - Melisa Cox 24th - Shar Dunlap 24th - Brenda Wieneke 27th - Mark Densmore 29th - Renee Potts 30th - John Foster Happy Birthday Rotarians!!
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October Rotary Board Meeting
The October Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, October 13th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
Prospective New Member - Tracy Frette
The Board has approved an application to add Tracy Frette to the Corporate Membership of Lincoln Savings Bank. Tracey is a Senior Mortgage Lender with LSB and was previously a member of the Club from 2018 to 2020. She resigned in 2020 due to the pandemic and her work that did not allow her to attend meetings. Comments regarding this prospective new member may be forwarded to any Board member. |
"50th Anniversary Moment" - Rotary Meeting Locations
The Rotary Club of Ankeny is now 4 months from completing 50 years of service to the Ankeny Community and will be celebrating with a gala on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at the FFA Enrichment Center. Here is a moment from the history of Rotary and the Rotary Club of Ankeny: The first meetings of the Rotary Club of Ankeny were held at the "Trader's Inn" (Later Elwell's and now where The Attic is located.) on Highway 69. The Club then met at the Best Western Inn from 1983 until moving to Elwell's in June, 1986. In June 1993, the Club moved to The Boulevard and then met for year from 1995-1996 at Wallaby's Down Under before moving to Duffy's. In December 2001, the Board discussed changing meeting locations and decided it needed to be a Club decision. They decided to be "Roving Rotarians" for the month of January, 2002, as they moved each week from the Best Western, Golden Correl, Happy Chef, and Pintasse. An evaluation form was developed to rate each restaurant on the quality of food, acoustics and accommodations, parking, service and accessibility. The Pintasse received the highest rating, but a final decision was tabled until the Club had a chance to meet at Benchwarmers. The Pintasse received the highest rating, and it was decided to move the weekly meetings to this location beginning in March, 2002. Subsequently, Pintasse decided not to host Rotary meetings and the Ankeny Golf & Country Club offered to accommodate Rotary Club meetings but on Tuesdays instead of Monday. The first noon meeting for the club at the AG&CC was held on Tuesday, June 11, 2002, and the Club has been meeting there ever since.
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Save the Date - Christmas Social - December 13th
The date has been set for the annual Rotary Christmas social, for both the noon and evening groups. It will be held on Tuesday, December 13th at Briarwood Golf Club, 3405 NE Trilein Drive. More details will be coming but put the date on your calendar and plan to attend.
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Rotary Literacy Committee At Work
The Club's Literacy Committee is working on several projects. They helped the Kirkendall Library kick off their summer reading program, several members are putting books in book boxes around town, and they are supplying free books to the Ankeny Service Center for their clients as shown in this picture. Donated books are always appreciated as they keep sharing with children and families around town. If any member has a book box in their neighborhood, they are encouraged to add books to them. This helps fit in to the Club's literacy goal that is part of Rotary international. If any member has books in good condition they would like to donate to this project, they can bring them to a meeting and give them to Kathy Sibbel.
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Prospective New Member - Brendan Maher
The Board has approved an application for membership into the Evening Group of the Rotary Club of Ankeny from Brendan Maher. Brendan is a Senior Account Manager with FuFeng USA. His responsibility is business development in the upper Midwest. Brendan works out of his home in Ankeny and his primary states are Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas. FuFeng USA is a global leading bio-fermentation company manufacturing products that serve the animal nutrition market. Fufeng USA is a subsidiary of Fufeng Group Limited which is based in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China. They are in the process of establishing their headquarters in Grand Forks, N.D. and have offices in the Chicago metro area. Comments regarding this prospective new member may be forwarded to any Board member. |
Evening Group Harvests 588 Pounds at AGAPESeveral members of the Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening Satellite Group met on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at Agape Garden for a community service project. It was a small group, but a mighty group. They harvested 345 pounds of potatoes, 85 pounds of pears, and picked peppers and squash. The total was 588 pounds! Great job, Rotarians!    |
September Rotary Board Meeting
The September Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, September 8th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
District 6000 One Summit Educational Session
District 6000's Fall education event, One Summit Educational Session, is to energize and boost a club's growth, service and public interaction. Rotarians are Leaders! Engage fresh new thinking and take away tools to strengthen membership, public image and involvement in Rotary Foundation programs. This learning experience is available for all Rotarians! This year ONE SUMMIT will be held virtually from 6:30-8:00 pm on Thursday, September 29th. Advanced registration is required. To register click this link: https://rotary6000.org/event/one-rotary-summit-1/ Ankeny's Evening group is planning to have a watch party at Juan & Patty's home. Please let Juan or Patty know if you would like to join in the watch. |
Jacquelyn Duke Becomes PHF + 3
Evening group President Jeff Magner announced that Jacquelyn Duke had achieved the level of Paul Harris Fellow + 3 during their meeting on August 23rd. Congratulations Jacquelyn and thank your support of the Rotary Foundation!
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Beautiful Evening For a Picnic!The Rotary Club of Ankeny Noon and Evening Satellite Group met on Tuesday evening, August 9, 2022, for their annual picnic at Sunrise Park. There was a great turnout of approximately 60 members and guests on a beautiful evening! Brian Tiernan, President of the Rotary Club of Ankeny, welcomed the members and guests. The picnic was a potluck with the club providing hamburgers and hot dogs. Entertainment included the smashing of a pinata by the kids.      |
Welcome New Member - Sharon Winkel
Sharon Winkel was inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny's Evening group on August 23rd. She is a Certified Hypnotherapist with Redesign Mind in Ankeny and was proposed for membership by Steve Wieneke. Welcome Sharon!
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RI Selects 2024-2025 President
Stephanie A. Urchick, of the Rotary Club of McMurray, Pennsylvania, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2024-25. Since current President, Jennifer Jones is the first women to serve as Presidnet of Rotary International, Stephanie will be just the second woman to hold that position. She will be declared the president-nominee on October 1st, if no challenging candidates have been suggested.
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Prospective New Member - Sharon Winkel
The Board has approved an application for membership into the Evening Group of the Rotary Club of Ankeny from Sharon Winkel. Sharon is a Certified Hypnotherapist with Redesign Mind in Ankeny. She is proposed for membership by Steve Wieneke. Comments regarding this prospective new member may be forwarded to any Board member. |
District Conference In West Des Moines April 29, 2023"Save the Date", April 29 for the 2023 District 6000 Conference. Ankeny Rotarian and the 2022-2023 District Governor Steve Wieneke and First Lady Brenda Wieneke are planning to hold three one-day sessions instead of one three-day conference. This will reduce travel time, cost, and the time commitment for Rotarians from across the District to attend one of the sessions and join in "A Celebration of Your Accomplishments". The sessions will be on April 15th in Carroll, April 22 in Coralville, and April 29th in West Des Moines. Rotarians are welcome to attend any or all of the sessions, but it is assumed Ankeny Rotarians will want to attend the session on April 29th. Here are ten exciting reasons to attend one of the conferences:  Volunteers will be needed for several committees to assist with the conferences. If you are interested in serving on a committee, contact Steve at swieneked6k@gmail.com. |
Rotary Supports New Horizon Adult Day CareLisa Noble was a guest of Terry Peter's at the noon Rotary meeting on August 2nd. She was introduced as the new Executive Director of New Horizon Adult Day Center. The Club will be a sponsor for New Horizons' annual golf outing and presented Lisa with a check for $1,000 for this sponsorship. Dave Mercer also presented her with a plaque recognizing the support the Club has given New Horizons for the past several years including a District Community Service grant this past year to assist them with their relocation into their new facility.    |
DG Wieneke Makes Official Visit to AnkenyAnkeny Rotarian and District Governor Steve Wieneke and his wife Brenda made their official visit to both the noon meeting of the Rotary Club of Ankeny and the Evening Satellite group on August 2nd. In recognition one of the projects they would like to emphasis, literacy, Steve presented President Brian Tiernan with a book for him to give to someone in need. He challenged the club group to complete a project with an emphasis on literacy and/or food insecurity in the next year. The group thanked Steve and Brenda for their presentation and all they do for the club with a gift basket and a beautifully decorated cake. He also presented Brian with a banner from the Iowa City AM club that he was given when he made his official visit to their club.    |
Patty Munguia Becomes Paul Harris Fellow +2
Evening group President Jeff Magner recognized Anna Patricia Munguia at the August 2nd meeting for becoming a Paul Harris Fellow +2. She received this recognition as a result of her husband, Juan Arias, donating recognition points in her name. Congratulations Patty and thank you Juan.
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September Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in September: 3rd - Ann Wright 6th - Ron Matthews 7th - Teri Crist 7th - Tom Friedman 7th - Mark Martin 7th - Scott Obstarczyk 8th - Kent Patterson 9th - Jacquelyn Duke 13th - Adam Boeding 15th - Doug Wright 16th - Todd Wehr 20th - Kevin Brooks 20th - Lewis Todtz 25th - Jim Hudson 25th - Amber Weger 29th - Tm Hawkins 29th - Anne Porter
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Evening Group Welcomes DG Wieneke
District Governor Steve Wieneke and his wife Brenda made their official visit to their home Rotary club, the Evening satellite group of the Rotary Club of Ankeny, on August 2nd. Steve presented President Jeff Magner with a book for him to give to someone in need and challenged the group to complete a project with an emphasis on literacy and food insecurity. The group thanked Steve and Brenda for their presentation and all they do for the club with a gift basket and a beautifully decorated cake.    |
Thank You From Salvation Army
Last month, the Board approved a $1,000 donation to assist the Salvation Army with remodeling a bus that was given to them by DART. The bus will be used to serve people with needs outside the Des Moines Metro area who are unable to travel to Des Moines to access help. This will enable more people to be served. The following thank you has been received from John N. Foster, Donor Relations Director: "Thank you so much for generously donating $1,000 to The Salvation Army's mobile social services program. You are helping provide a life changing service that will assist people transitioning from dependence to independence. People facing challenges need living assistance in many forms and, above all, the hope The Salvation Army abundantly provides. The bus will bring all this and much more to those most in need. You are providing a hand up to people with your greatly appreciated and valued support. This important work is only possible with your help; thanks to you, the homeless, the hungry and people rebuilding their lives will receive the help they need. Please thank all who took part."
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Evening Group Completes Service ProjectThe Evening Group completed a community service project on and off site on July 19th. They first met at Mistress Brewing and brought food for the food boxes around town. Then some members delivered the food and placed it in the boxes while other members repaired a "Little Free Library" that needed a new roof. The new roof was put on and painted it Rotary colors - blue and yellow. Thank you to all members that brought food and helped with this project.     |
Board Approves Donation Requests
At their July meeting, the Board approved two donation requests. They were: Salvation Army - $1,000 - These funds will be used to assist with remodeling a bus that was given to the Salvation Army by DART. The bus will be used to serve people with needs outside the Des Moines Metro area who are unable to travel to Des Moines to access help. This will enable more people to be served. New Horizon Adult Day Care - $1,000 - The Club has been a significant supporter of New Horizons for several years. These funds are for a sponsorship of their annual golf outing fundraiser. Proceeds from this fundraiser will help provide programming for the people they serve in Ankeny and the surrounding area. |
New Baby for DyersDuring the noon meeting on July 26th, President Tiernan congratulated Dylan Dyer on the birth of a baby boy by presenting him with a bag containing two books and a "Future Rotarian" onesie. Dylan and Micada now have four children ages 6, 4, 2, and new-born. Their newest addition to their family was born on June 17 and now has the same birthday as his grandfather, Dave Mercer.    |
RYLA Conferees Speak at Rotary
Four of the five students that the Rotary Club of Ankeny awarded scholarships to attend RYLA at Grinnell College the week of July 17th spoke to the Club on July 26th. Those presenting were Abbi Brown, Nyah Rouse, Tyler Woods, and Samantha Forrester. The fifth student, Gannon Ripley, was on vacation and not able to attend. We hope to hear from him at a future meeting.
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Welcome New MembersTwo new members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny on July 26th. They are Brent Lindquist and Clifford Cunanan. Brent joined the Evening group and is an Area Manager with Jung Sleep Systems. Cliff is the VP of Mortgage and Consumer Lending with Vision Bank and joined the noon group.   |
Noon New Member Orientation
A "New Member Orientation" will be held on Tuesday, August 16th for the members that have joined the noon group in the past few months but have not as yet attended an orientation. The orientation will be at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club at 11:00 AM prior to the regular noon meeting.
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"50th Anniversary Moment" - Paul Harris Fellows
The Rotary Club of Ankeny is now 5 months from completing 50 years of service to the Ankeny Community and will be celebrating with a gala on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at the FFA Enrichment Center. Here is a moment from the history of Rotary and the Rotary Club of Ankeny: Milt Aunan was the person that was most instrumental in helping to charter the Rotary Club of Ankeny in 1973. He also became the first President of the new club. It is only fitting that he also became the Club's first Paul Harris Fellow in January, 1987. He went on to become a PHF +1. Pat Brewbaker became the first women in the club to become a Paul Harris Fellow in November 1992. Of the current members of the Club, Ben Norman was the first to achieve the status of a Paul Harris Fellow in December, 1989. Zane Smith followed that a year later with his first Paul Harris Fellowship in December,1990. Today the club has 77 Paul Harris Fellows and 51 of these are multiple Paul Harris Fellows. Since being chartered, the Club and it's members have donated a total of $485,135 to the Rotary Foundation.
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Donations to Ankeny Service CenterThe Rotary Club of Ankeny has been a significant supporter of the Ankeny Service Center for several years. This includes coordinating the golf ball drop at the Ankeny Summerfest celebration. On July 12th, the noon meeting was held at the ASC's new facility at 641 S. Ankeny Blvd. At the meeting Tom Friedman presented a check for the ASC's share of the net proceeds from this year's golf ball drop which was $4,732. In addition, Dave Mercer presented a plaque in recognition of the support the Club has provided to the ASC including a District Community Service Grant last year. The plaque reads: "Various items were generously donated to Ankeny Service Center by the Rotary Club of Ankeny"   |
Prospective New Members
The Board has approved two applications for membership into the Rotary Club of Ankeny. They are Brent Lindquist and Clifford Cunanan. Brent is applying to join the Evening group and is an Area Manager with Jung Sleep Systems. Clifford is the VP of Mortgage and Consumer Lending with Vision Bank and plans to join the noon group. Comments regarding these prospective new members may be forwarded to any Board member.
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Rotary at the I-Cubs
On the evening of July 12th, Ankeny Rotarians and guests filled four skyboxes to watch the Iowa Cubs defeat the Buffalo Bison 8-2 at Principal Park. Prior to the start of the game, Sally Schroeder had the distinction of throwing out the first pitch. Thank you to Todd Eipperle for making the arrangements for this very successful social event.     |
Golf Ball Drop ResultsA total of 698 balls were sold for the 2022 golf ball drop at on Sunday night of Summerfest. Brad Edwards, Chief Meteorologist at channel 5 WOI-TV in Des Moines was the celebrity ball dropper. The winners with their balls being the first to go in the hole were:
After expenses, the proceeds generated $4,732 for the Ankeny Service Center and $2,028 for the Rotary Club of Ankeny.
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Paddle Raisers for 2023 FundriaserFive organizations were nominated to be paddle raisers for the Club's next fundraiser to be held on April 15, 2023. The organizations were: Ankeny Police Foundation, Blessman International, Dorothy’s House, New Horizon Adult Day Center, and Variety, the Children’s Charity of Iowa. Each member of the Club had the opportunity to vote for two of the five. All five of the organizations nominated were very worthy and it was a difficult for members to decide which two to vote for. But the votes have been counted and the two organizations to be featured during the fundraiser have been selected. They are: Ankeny Police Foundation and Dorothy's House.   |
Rotarians Line Up Entries for Summerfest Parade
The Ankeny Summerfest parade was held on July 7th. Twenty-five Rotarians arrived before 6:00 AM to check in entries and line them up for the parade. Milisa Cox the Executive Director for the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce advised the club that there was an estimated 65,000 people in attendance over the three days of Summerfest. She also presented a check to the club in the amount of $750 as a thank you for our assistance with the parade setup. Many compliments were received by participants for how smoothly the parade setup was handled. Thank you to Stacey Koeppen and Richard Bergez for coordinating this service project and to all the Rotarians that assisted.
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August Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in August: 5th - Jeff Magner 5th - Jessica Reynolds 5th - James Warner 8th - Xena Jolly 12th - Dale Port 16th - Mark Land 16th - Pat Timmons 18th - Gary Welch |
Rotary Fall Picnic August 9th
The Rotary Club of Ankeny's summer picnic will be on Tuesday, August 9th at Sunrise Park, 506 SE Peterson Drive. The evening will begin with social time at 5:30 PM and we will plan to eat at 6:30. The noon Rotary meeting on this day will be cancelled. The club will be providing hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, condiments and table service. Please bring a side dish to share and your own beverages and chairs. All family members and guests are welcome!
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"50th Anniversary" Committee Meeting
The committee planning the "50th Anniversary" of the Rotary Club of Ankeny has been meeting for the past couple months. Several decisions have been made and plans, so far, include: a catered meal, gifts for all guests, an appearance by Paul Harris, toasts, entertainment, a photographer, Paul Harris presentations, and a District Community Service Grant to assist with the planting of 50 trees. The next committee meeting will be at 11:00 AM prior to the regular noon meeting on July 19th. Anyone that would like to serve on the committee is welcome to attend. Contact Sally Schroeder, ssschroeder@icloud.com if you have any questions.
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"50th Anniversary Moment" - Summerfest Parade
The Rotary Club of Ankeny is now 6 months from completing 50 years of service to the Ankeny Community and will be celebrating with a gala on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at the FFA Enrichment Center. Here is a moment from the history of Rotary and the Rotary Club of Ankeny: It is believed the first involvement by the Rotary Club of Ankeny in the Summerfest Parade was 1991. That year, Rotary members participated by announcing the entries as they passed by the Uptown area. Volunteers also assisted at the High School parking lot for 2 hours prior to the parade starting to help gather information on the entries. A few years later, in 1996 and perhaps sooner, Shar Dunlap was in charge of volunteers to assist with the parade registration and entry line up. The club continues to assist with the parade now 31 years later.
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Welcome New Members
Three new members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny on June 28th. These new members are: Mark Tanner - Mark is an Actuary and the owner of Tanner Consulting and insurance strategies consulting firm. He also invests in real estate. Julsdesign/QG Studios is a creative design business in Ankeny and will be a corporate member. Lindsay Gustafson, Cave Dweller will be the Primary Designee and Julie Mangels, Queen Imagineer will be the Secondary Designee. They were proposed for membership by Laura Luetje. Welcome to the Club Mark, Lindsay, and Julie!! |
District 6000 Gavel Passed to Steve WienekeOn June 26th, at the Ankeny Albaugh Family Senior Community Center, the outgoing District 6000 President Alka Khanolkar passed the gavel to new District 6000 President, Steve Wieneke. Steve is a member of the Rotary Club of Ankeny. We look forward to Steve leading District 6000 for the 2022-2023 year.    |
Banners Traded Between Districts 3131 & 6000
During the District 6000 passing of the gavel on June 26th, a friend of District Governor, Alka Khanolkar, traded a banner from the Rotary Club of Pune Up-Town with new District Governor Steve Wieneke. Steve gave her a banner from the Rotary Club of Ankeny. Pune is located on the west coast of India. It is the seventh most populous city in India with an estimated population of 7.4 million. Pune Up-Town is one of six Rotary Clubs in Pune. On June 28th, Steve presented the banner he received to President Brian Tiernan. |
Rich Job - Rotarian of the Month for June
President Eipperle recognized Rich Job as the "Rotarian of the Month" for June at the noon meeting on June 7th. This was in recognition of the volunteer work have has done with the Ankeny Robotics teams and with the Central Iowa CIVITAS group on Human Trafficking. Congratulations Rich!
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Food Drive by Evening Group
The Rotary Club of Ankeny's evening group met at the home of Kristofer Orth on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at 6:00 pm for a Community Service Project Food Drive. Seven members, and eight guests collected 415 pounds of food & non-perishable items and donated them to Holy Trinity Food Pantry. After the drive, Susan & Kristofer Orth hosted the group at their home and provided hot dogs, cookies & beverages. Thank you to all the volunteers that helped!
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Kristofer Orth Named Ankeny Rotarian of the YearTodd Eipperle the "2021 Ankeny Rotarian of the Year" had the honor of introducing Kristofer Orth as the Club's "2022 Ankeny Rotarian of the Year". Kristofer joined the satellite club as one of the original members in 2004. He served as their President for its first five years and has had perfect attendance for all nine years since he joined the Club. He is always one of the first to volunteer to serve in whatever way he can.    Congratulations Kristofer!!
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New Paul Harris Fellows RecognizedSteve SchraderBachar recognized several new and multiple Paul Harris fellows during the Annual Awards and Recognition banquet on June 21st. The recipients included; Brian Tiernan - PHF, Heidi Kramer - PHF, John Biga - PHF, Brodey Hanson - PHF, Laura Luetje - PHF+2, Steve Wieneke - PHF+4, and Tim Hawkins - PHF+6. Congratulations Paul Harris Fellows and thank you for supporting the Rotary Foundation.  |
John Biga and Heidi Kramer Named Outstanding New Rotarian of the YearDuring the 2022 Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet, the Club recognized two Outstanding New Members. They were John Biga for the Evening group and Heidi Kramer for the noon group. Both have served on several committees and have been willing workers. Congratulations Heidi and John!   |
Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in July: 1st - Justin Morgan 3rd - Brad Botos 7th - Marie Kading 9th - Jim Ramsey 10th - Allison Ver Steegt 19th - Jason Gassman 22nd - Gerry Bair 23rd - Todd Eipperle 25th - Shannon Maher 27th - Victoria Ogier
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July Rotary Board Meeting
The July Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, July 14th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
Prospective New Members
The Board has approved the following applications for the Rotary Club of Ankeny's noon group: Mark Tanner is an Actuary and the owner of Tanner Consulting and insurance strategies consulting firm. Julsdesign/QG Studios is a creative design business in Ankeny will be a corporate member. Lindsay Gustafson, Cave Dweller will be the Primary Designee and Julie Mangels, Queen Imagineer will be the Secondary Designee. They are proposed for membership by Laura Luetje. Comments regarding any of these proposed members may be submitted to any Board member.
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Fiscus Jewelers New Web Site Sponsor
Members of the Rotary Club of Ankeny, have the opportunity to promote their business while supporting the Club by sponsoring an ad on the Club's web site. All web-site ads appear on a rotational basis on the home page and on the right- hand panel on all web site sub-pages and help to pay for our web site. They also appear in Club's "Ratchet" which is published the first week of each month and is emailed to all members and friends of the club. Ads can be images, JPG format, or text based and can be linked to your website or email address. The cost of the sponsorship is $100 for a full year. If you are interested in a sponsorship, please contact Nate Burnham, nfburnham@gmail.com or 515-238-6589. This month we welcome Fiscus Jewlers as a new sponsor. Thank you for your support, Noel.
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Baby Supplies for Cornerstone CounselingThe Rotary Club of Ankeny's Evening Group met at Mistress Brewing Tuesday, May 3, 2022. The group conducted a drive for Cornerstone Counseling. Diapers, wet wipes, art supplies, etc. were collected for the center.   |
Bourbon & Bowties
A fundraising event to support the Mid-Iowa Council, Boy Scouts of America will be held at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club on Wednesday, June 8th from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The cost is $75 per person with 100% of the proceeds being used for local scholarships and programs for local Scouting Youth. There will be plenty of bourbons, whiskeys, and moonshines to sample, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a prize for the best bowtie, and various auction items including a wheel barrel of whiskey. Advance registration is available at www.scoutingiowa.org/bourbonbowties. or just come that night and pay at the door. Contact Todd Eipperle at todd.eipperle@scouting.org with any questions.
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Baby Boy for Jordan & Erica NiewoehnerMatthew Joseph Niewoehner was born on April 10th and weighed in at 9 pounds 11 ounces. This is the third child for Jordan and Erica Niewoehner. President Eipperle presented Jordan with a gift from the club at the noon meeting on May 24th. The gift included two children's books and a onesie that had "Future Rotarian" on it. Congratulations Jordan and Erica!    |
Bandshell Clean Up
Members of the Evening Rotary group met at the Ankeny Bandshell on May 17th to complete a spring clean-up while dodging a few raindrops. After the cleanup was completed, the group went to the Uptown Garage for some social time. A job well done, thanks to the members and guests that helped with the cleanup.
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Rotary At Engage AnkenyAfter missing the past two years due to COVID, Engage Ankeny was held again on May 12th at the Ankeny Market Pavillion. The mission of this event is to raise awareness of nonprofits serving the Ankeny community and the services they provide as well as connect the people of Ankeny with opportunities to give back to the community through these non-profit organizations. The Rotary Club of Ankeny was one of the non-profits with a booth and several Rotarians were present to greet visitors, including CY!   |
June Rotary Board Meeting
The June Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, June 9th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
Registration Open for Annual Celebration
The "2022 Ankeny Rotary Annual Recognition Banquet" for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held on Tuesday evening of June 21, 2022 at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club. The evening will begin at 5:30 PM with a social hour including drinks and appetizers and the meal, will be served at 6:15. The program will begin at approximately 7:00 PM and will include some Paul Harris presentations, perfect attendance awards, the naming of the "Outstanding New Members of the Year" and "Rotarian of the Year" and the passing of the gavel to next year's president for both the noon and evening clubs. Plan to attend, bring your spouse or a guest, and celebrate all the accomplishments of the club during the past year. Registration is now open. If you have not as yet registered, please do so by responding to the invitation each member has received by email. We need to provide the AG&CC with a meal count by June 10th. When registering, under comments, please indicate your choice of entree, top sirloin, salmon, or chicken Parmesan, or if you have any special dietary needs. Also, when registering a guest, you will need to enter an email address for them and don't forget to click on "Save" after entering their information.
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Rotary at the Iowa Cubs
The Rotary Club of Ankeny has reserved three sky boxes to enjoy watching the Iowa Cubs play the Buffalo Bisons on Tuesday, July 12th. The gates will open at 5:00 PM and game time is 6:08 PM. Come early and watch Sally Schroeder throw out the “First Pitch”! The Club will be providing hors d’oeuvres. Drinks and other items will be available for purchase. A few tickets, $25 for adults and $15 for youth, age 17 and under are still available. Contact Todd Eipperle, at todd.eipperle@scouting.org, if you still need tickets.
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Ankeny Robotics Teams Present at RotaryThe Ankeny Centennial High School and Southwest Middle School Robotics teams were the speakers at the noon meeting on May 10th. They brought the robots they had made and demonstrated how they worked. Rotarian, Rich Job is one of the advisors for the students.   |
Rotary Presents Scholarships at Dollars for Scholars
Three students each received a Rotary Club of Ankeny Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 during Senior Spotlight Night in May. President Todd Eipperle attended the presentations at Ankeny Centennial High School and Doug Beech, Community Service Chair, attended the presentations at Ankeny High school to represent the Club. The recipients were: Madison Carleton, Ankeny Centennial - Madison will be attending the University of Northern Iowa this fall and will be majoring in Science, Math & Technology. Abby Mayo, Ankeny Centennial - Abby will be attending Des Moines Area Community College and will be majoring in Performing Arts. Clara Freese, Ankeny High - Clara will be attending the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and will be majoring in Science, Math, & Technology. Dollars for Scholars has presented scholarships to Ankeny students in every year since 1984 when 13 scholarships were given totaling $3,250. Two of these scholarships were from the Rotary Club of Ankeny in the amount of $300 each. This year, 139 students received scholarships totaling $90,750. This makes 3,388 scholarships issued in the past 39 years totaling $1,449,287 through Dollars for Scholars.
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Jacquelyn Duke Named May Rotarian of the Month
During the May Board meeting, President Eipperle, recognized Jacquelyn Duke as the Rotarian of the month for May. This is in recognition of her leadership of the Evening Group this past year plus her coordinating the collection of sewing machines for Afghan refugees, traveling to Kentucky to assist with clean-up from the spring tornados, and numerous other activities. Congratulations Jacquelyn!
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June Rotarian Birthdays
2nd - Joe Ruddy 6th - Ben Norman 7th - DuWayne McDaniel 8th - Xena Jolly 11th - Noel Fiscus 12th - Heather Schmidt 14th - Sue Gibbons 15th - Andy Pollock 17th - Dave Mercer 20th - Steve Van Oort 21st - Mike Lydon
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Laura Luetje Receives Paul Hellwege Guardian of Integrity Award
Ankeny Rotarian, Laura Luetje, was honored to be recognized as one of eight Rotarians in District 6000 to be named a "Paul Hellwege Guardian of Integrity Award Recipient" at the All-Iowa District Conference on April 24th. This award honors individuals who have made contributions in business, media, academia or government and who have by their actions, writing, policies, and public pronouncements strengthened and fostered development of integrity and ethical practices, and who have made sacrifices and/or undertaken risks to uphold Rotary's Core Value of integrity. Laura was unable to attend the conference, but President Todd Eipperle presented her with the certificate at the noon meeting on May 3rd. Congratulations Laura! |
"50th Anniversary Moment" - Rotary Dues
The Rotary Club of Ankeny is now 7 months from completing 50 years of service to the Ankeny Community and will be celebrating with a gala on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at the FFA Enrichment Center. Here is a moment from the history of Rotary and the Rotary Club of Ankeny: During the first year of the Rotary Club of Ankeny, the Club charged an initiation fee for new members of $30. The Club kept $20 in their treasury and $10 was sent to Rotary International. They also charged $2.20 per meeting for meals which also covered District dues. Visiting Rotarians were charged $2.50 for lunch. In 1975, district dues went up by $1.00 for the year, so the Club increased the meal charge by $.05 to $2.25. This covered the cost of the meal which was $1.80 and $.45 was for the District Dues. In 1981, dues were set at $65 per quarter which was an increase from $52 per quarter. By 1983, dues had been raised to $125 per quarter and then to $150 per quarter in 2004. The last change in dues came on January 1, 2011 when dues were increased to the current $175 per quarter for Active members. Dues for Evening Club members is currently $60 per quarter but does not include any meals. |
Evening Group Plants Cabbage at AGAPE Garden
On the evening of April 19th, ten members of the Evening group and 4 guests volunteered at Ankeny's AGAPE Garden to help plan cabbage. It was a chilly evening, but the project was completed.
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"50th Anniversary" Moment - Women in Rotary
The Rotary Club of Ankeny is now 8 months from completing 50 years of service to the Ankeny Community and will be celebrating with a gala on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at the FFA Enrichment Center. Here is a moment from the history of Rotary and the Rotary Club of Ankeny: On May 4, 1987, the US Supreme court upheld a California law which prohibited service clubs, such as Rotary, from excluding women from membership on the basis of their gender. In a letter from RI President, M.A.T. Caparas to all Governors of Districts including clubs within the USA he stated: "The RI Board is under obligation to uphold our constitution and By-Laws. We are, however, an organization that exists under law, and our constitution provides that Rotary clubs shall be bound only by its provisions which are not contrary to law. Because of the Duarte decision, the male only provision of our constitution cannot be enforced in California and in other places where that provision is determined to be contrary to law. Discriminatory practices are indeed so notoriously offensive to current public sentiment in America, and so patently in disfavor with the courts, that we believe our "male only" discriminatory provision will probably be stricken down in case of litigation even in those states which do not now have statutes similar to the California law...... For now, the Board will not withdraw the charter of any Rotary Club in the United States that accepts women members...... In any case, Rotary has changed dramatically, and only time will tell whether the change is for the better or for worse. It may yet prove to be the best thing that happened, if only because we will be able to shed the offensive "Sexist" label." There are now nearly 300,000 women in Rotary, approximately 25% of total membership. The first women accepted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny was Shirley McClain, Vice President, American Savings & Loan in August 1987. Pat Brewbaker, Owner of Walnut Street Gallery was inducted a couple months later in October, 1987. Today the Rotary Club of Ankeny has 41 women which is 35% of our total membership.
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Dave Cook District 6000 Nominated for DG 2024-2025
Dave Cook, Rotary Club of Boone, was selected by the District 6000 Nominating Team to be District Governor 2024-25. The announcement was made at the District Annual Meeting held April 2. Dave is currently serving as one of our District Membership Action Team Co-Chairs and is active in his Rotary club and community. Dave and his wife Lisa, make their home in Boone. Congratulations Dave!!
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Paddle Raiser Nominations Due by June 1st
The Club's next "Raise the Stakes for Community" casino night fundraiser will be on April 15, 2023. As in past years, we plan to have 2 or 3 paddle raisers during this event. Club members may nominate a non-profit organization to be one of the recipients of the proceeds from a paddle raiser by completing a nomination form. These nomination forms may be obtained from Nate Burnham, Stacey Koeppen, or Laura Luetje. They must be completed and submitted to Stacey or Laura by June 1, 2022. All nominations will then be brought before the membership for a vote on which organizations we will feature. |
Summerfest 2022Ankeny's Summerfest Celebration will return will a full slate of activities in 2022! This includes the Parade which will require volunteers from the Club. The Rotary Club of Ankeny has assumed the responsibility for the parade staging every year since at least 1994, with the exception of 2020 & 2021 when there was no parade. The Chamber is asking our Club to assume this responsibility again this year and has agreed to donate $750 to our Club for our services. This is an activity that both the Noon and Evening groups will work together on and will require a total of approximately 30 volunteers to meet at 6:00 AM at the staging area the morning of the parade. Coffee and donuts will be provided. Rich Bergez has attended the initial planning meeting on behalf of the club. Volunteers will have the opportunity to sign up in the next few weeks but for now put Saturday July 9th on your calendar and plan to help.     |
Welcome New Members
The following new members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny on May 3rd: Kelly Lally is a Chiropractor and works at The Health Clinic, P.C. in Ankeny. She is a former member of the LakeView- Chicago, Illinois Rotary Club. Joe Ruddy is a Commodity Broker with Market Wise Ag Services. He also serves on the Ankeny School Foundation and the Ankeny City Council. He was proposed for membership by Laura Luetje. Brandon Converse is transferring his membership from the Rotary Club of West Des Moines to Ankeny. Brandon is a Loan Officer with Luana Savings Bank in Polk City. He is currently the President of the Polk City Chamber of Commerce and is also on the Board of the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce. He was proposed for membership by Brian Tiernan. Congratulations and welcome Kelly, Joe, and Brandon!! |
Ankeny Well Represented at All-Iowa ConferenceThe Rotary Club of Ankeny had seven members and three spouses attend the "2022 All-Iowa Rotary District Conference" in Coralville on April 22-23. Some highlights of the conference included Chuck Long speaking on his football career at the University of Iowa, a reception at Big Grove Brewery on Friday evening, the planting of a tree for "Earth Day", a panel discussion on Human Trafficking, Rotary International Representative and past president of the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, Jeremy Hurst, taking a pie in the face and auctioning off his tie to raise money for PolioPlus, seeing an actual "iron lung" on display, Jacquelyn Duke collecting 12 sewing machines for Afghan refugees, and recognizing District 6000's Guardian of Integrity Award winners including Ankeny's Laura Luetje.      |
District 6000 Gavel Passing
Rotary District 6000 Governor, Alka Khanolkar and Governor Elect Steve Wieneke are happy to announce that they are planning to host a gavel passing ceremony in Ankeny, Iowa on Sunday, June 26, 2022. A social will be from 11:00 - 11:30 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. and a program from 12:15 - 1:00 p.m. The gavel passing ceremony will be held at the Albaugh Family Senior Community Center at 150 NW Ash Drive in Ankeny. SAVE THE DATE and plan to attend to join in the passing of the District 6000 gavel to our own Steve Wieneke who will be the District Governor for 2022-2023.
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Rotarians Attend Rotary Leadership Institute
Eight Ankeny Rotarians attended the Rotary Leadership Institute in Ankeny on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at the Ankeny Kirkendall Library from 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Those members were Cathy McDaniel, Marie Keding, Patty Munguia, Brenda Wieneke, Jacquelyn Duke, Kristofer Orth, Rich Job, and Holly Sealine. Three Rich Job, Jacquelyn Duke, and Brenda Wieneke graduated from the program. Marie Kline and Jenna Lanning helped serve lunch and snacks. Steve Wieneke, District 6000 RLI Coordinator, organized the event which had a total of 22 participants and 6 facilitators.
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Evening Group Serves Lopez Ministries
The Evening Rotary group completed a community service project on April 5th by collecting donated household items, clothes, and monetary gifts to help the Daniel L. Lopez Ministries. Daniel Lopez attended the meeting and spoke about their ministry. Their mission every day is to help people who are having a hard time providing for themselves, feeding their families, taking care of their children, and lacking basic needs. Most of the need is around food, clothes, grocery gift cards, household goods, and furniture.
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Laura Luetje Named Guardian of Integrity Recipient
During the All-Iowa District Conference on April 24th, Laura Luetje was named one of eight Rotarians in District 6000 who were nominated by their clubs to receive the Paul Hellwege Guardian of Integrity Award. This award honors individuals who have made contributions in business, media, academia or government and who have by their actions, writing, policies, and public pronouncements strengthened and fostered development of integrity and ethical practices, and who have made sacrifices and/or undertaken risks to uphold Rotary's Core Value of integrity. Laura is a managing partner in her law firm. She is the primary manager of sensitive divorce and child and divorce custody cases and searches for the most favorable outcome for all parties. Laura serves her community with the same high intent. Served by her efforts are the NE Elementary School PTO, 100 Women That Care, Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce, Ankeny Young Professionals, Ankeny Civil Service Commission, the Ankeny School Foundation Board and her Rotary Club where she oversees fundraising. During the pandemic Laura handled the challenge of a special learning program for students who needed extra support. Each of the 65 clubs in District 6000 had the opportunity to nominate one member each year to receive the Guardian of Integrity award. Ankeny is one of only two clubs in the District to have a recipient of this award in each of the past seven years. Congratulations Laura! |
May Rotary Board Meeting
The May Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, May 12th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
May Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in May: 4th - Laura Brassell 12th - Damon Miller 26th - Jon Lowman 27th - Jordan Niewoehner
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No Noon Meeting on April 26thThe Rotary Club of Ankeny's will NOT be meeting at noon on, Tuesday, April 26th. Instead, members are encouraged to attend the Greater Des Moines Rotary Multi-Club's meeting, "Putting an End to Human Trafficking" which will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 205 S 64th Street, West Des Moines on April 26th. The event will begin with registration at 4:00 PM and the program beginning at 4:30 PM. Heavy hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be served beginning at 6:00 PM. Questions - Contact Rich Job at, rich.w.job@icloud.com. |
Thank You From New Horizon
The Rotary Club of Ankeny obtained a Community Service Grant from District 6000 this year to assist New Horizon Adult Day Center with the purchase of equipment necessary for their relocation. The following thank you letter has been received from Vicki Engh, Executive Director. "Dear Members of Rotary Club of Ankeny, Thank you so much for your incredible generosity to New Horizon Adult Day Center. The donations of lawnmower, snowblower, shed, pool tabletop, and indoor / outdoor games for our participants are already being enjoyed! Rotary Club of Ankeny has been a tremendous supporter through the years, and we are so grateful for all you have done and continue to do for New Horizons. We are honored to walk with our participants for a portion of their journeys. Your kindness will help ensure that we continue to provide the compassionate care for which New Horizons is known. Thank you again. We appreciate you! With my sincere thanks, Vicki Engh, Executive Director"
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Prospective New Members
The Board has approved two applications for membership to the Rotary Club of Ankeny. Kelly Lally is a Chiropractor and works at The Health Clinic, P.C. in Ankeny. She is a former member of the LakeView- Chicago, Illinois Rotary Club. Joe Ruddy is a Commodity Broker with Market Wise Ag Services. He also serves on the Ankeny School Foundation and the Ankeny City Council. He was proposed for membership by Laura Luetje. Brandon Converse will be transferring his membership from the Rotary Club of West Des Moines to Ankeny. Brandon is a Loan Officer with Luana Savings Bank in Polk City. He is currently the President of the Polk City Chamber of Commerce and is also on the Board of the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce. He is proposed for membership by Brian Tiernan. Comments regarding these proposed members may be submitted to any Board member. |
Laura Luetje Named April Rotarian of Month
President Eipperle has named Laura Luetje "Rotarian of the Month" for April, 2022. This is in recognition for all she does for the Club and the Ankeny Community. This includes her proposing 5 new members during the past year with several others still pending. Congratulations Laura!
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Ride & Hike for Polio
We will meet on Saturday, April 16th, at 10:00 AM at the Trailside Tap in Uptown Ankeny, 710 SW 3rd Street, for a complimentary brunch courtesy of the Rotary Club of Ankeny. After brunch, Bikers will head north on the High Trestle Trail and walkers will head south to the DMACC pond. The bikers will turn around at the Oasis and the walkers will turn around at the DMACC pond. All Bikers and walkers will then return to the Trail Side Tap and enjoy some time together in Uptown Ankeny. Participants are encouraged to make a donation to help eliminate polio throughout the world. All donations will be forwarded in the name of the Rotarian donor to the Rotary Foundation's Polio Plus Campaign and will be matched 2-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - $100 becomes $300. Any Rotarian that donates or raises $100 or more will receive a match of Rotary Foundation recognition points from the Rotary Club of Ankeny. Hope to see everyone for this fun and worthy event. Questions, contact Todd Eipperle at Todd.Eipperle@scouting.org. |
CIVITAS Meeting April 26, 2022The Greater Des Moines Rotary Multi-Club's 6th annual event bringing Rotarians, their guests, and interested citizens together for education and networking, CIVITAS, will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 205 S 64th Street, West Des Moines, on Tuesday April 26, 2022. The program, "Putting an End to Human Trafficking", will be focused on ending human trafficking throughout greater Des Moines while building momentum for Rotarians and community service. The event will begin with registration at 4:00 PM and the program beginning at 4:30 PM. The cost is $20 per person which will be paid by the Club. The regular noon meeting on the 26th is cancelled and all members are encouraged to attend this event a learn from some of Des Moines' local heroes fighting this important issue. For those that are not able to attend, a video on "Human Tracking" will be presented at the Evening Rotary meeting beginning at 6:00 PM at Whiskey House and Bourbon Grill (2510 SW White Birch Dr.).
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2022 Rotary Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet
The "2022 Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet" for the Rotary Club of Ankeny, both the noon and evening groups, will be held on the evening of June 21, 2022, at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club. The evening will begin at 5:30 PM with a social hour including drinks and appetizers. The meal will be served at 6:15. The program will begin at approximately 7:00 PM and will include some Paul Harris presentations, perfect attendance awards, the naming of the "Outstanding New Member of the Year" and "Rotarian of the Year" and the passing of the gavel to next year's president for both the noon and evening clubs. Put the date on your calendar, plan to attend, bring you spouse or a guest, and celebrate all the accomplishments of the club during the past year. More details including the menu and an invitation to register will be available in the next few weeks. |
Jeff Magner Donates to AGAPE Garden
Evening Rotarian Jeff Magner received a $500 award from his employer, Terracon. This award had the restriction that he had to donate it to a non-profit organization. Jeff wanted to donate the funds to the Ankeny AGAPE Garden, but have the Rotary Club of Ankeny receive credit for it. To accomplish this, Jeff donated the funds to the Club with the understanding the Club would in turn donate it to AGAPE Garden. The funds were received, and Jeff presented a check to Craig Crist and Kevin Knirr at the Evening Group meeting on March 22, 2022. Thank you Jeff for facilitating this donation.
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Welcome New MembersTwo new members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny on March 22, 2022. Current Ankeny Rotarian Kevin Brooks is changing his membership to a corporate membership in the name of Availa Bank and proposed Andy Schurr, Retail Banking Officer as a Secondary Designee. Andy was a charter member of the Packerland Sunrise Rotary Club in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Xena Jolly is an Account Representative for Copyworks, Ames, serving the Ankeny area and joined the Evening Group. She has printed the brochure for the club's fundraiser and other materials for the past several years. She was proposed for membership by Nate Burnham. Welcome Andy and Xena!!   |
April Happy Hour
The April "Happy Hour" for both the Noon and Evening groups will be held on Tuesday, April 12th at Whiskey House and Bourbon Grill (2510 SW White Birch Dr.) from 5:30 - 7:00 PM. Plan to attend and socialize with your fellow Rotarians and guests.
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Rotary Educational/Leadership Events
The following District 6000 events provide educational and leadership opportunities for Rotarians. Registration is available on the District 6000 web site or contact Nate Burnham or Brenda Wieneke for more information or for assistance in registering. These events are: District Assembly & District Annual Meeting - Primarily for incoming presidents, club officers, Board members and other up and coming leaders. It will be held on Saturday, April 2nd on the DMACC Campus in Newton, 602 N 2nd. Ave. W. The meeting is from 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM and a free lunch is included. A virtual option is also available. Registration is required prior to March 30th. Rotary Foundation Dinner - This event will be held on Thursday April 21st at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Coralville prior to the annual District Conference. The evening begins with a social time at 5:30 PM followed by dinner and the program. The keynote speaker will be Past District Governor David Forward. The Deadline to register if April 17th. All-Iowa District Conference - District 6000 and 5970 to the north are joining together for an All-Iowa District Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Coralville. The first session will begin at 10:00 AM on Friday, April 23rd and the conference adjourns after a reception, dinner, and silent auction on Saturday April 23rd. There is also a "Meet and Greet" reception social at 6:00 PM at the Big Grove Brewery & Taproom, 1225 Gilbert, Iowa City on Friday evening. Heavy appetizers, refreshments and Rotary beer glass included. Registration required by April 17th. Your registration fee will be paid by the Club. Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) - The RLI is a facilitated program, not lecturing, that engages members to actively participate to learn and grow in the understanding of Rotary fundamentals. By participating in RLI members will become more effective and knowledgeable leaders in their Rotary Clubs. The next session will be on Saturday April 9th from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library.
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April Rotary Board Meeting
The April Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, April 14th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome, and it counts as a make-up! |
April Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in April: 9th - Juan Arias 12th - Neil Fell 18th - Dianna Tran 20th - Brodey Hanson 22nd - Julie Todtz 29th - Heidi Kramer
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"50th Anniversary" Moment
The Rotary Club of Ankeny is now 9 months from completing 50 years of service to the Ankeny Community and celebrating with a gala on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at the FFA Enrichment Center. Here is an example, from the July 1, 1974, Ankeny Rotary Newsletter, of what Rotarians do: On the evening of June 18th, 1974, a severe weather storm struck Ankeny and killed a family of 2 while injuring another 50. The storm produced an F4 tornado that caused major damage to an estimated 20-25 percent of the homes in Ankeny. The winds of the storm were estimated at 207-260 mph. Rotary District 600 (As it was called at that time.) sent out a plea to each Rotary club in the district to send money to Ankeny to help the storm victims. Ankeny President Gene Leedom named a committee to handle disbursements and asked for ideas on how the money should be used. Over 20 clubs donated $2,167.25 to the Rotary Club of Ankeny. The next committee meeting for the 50th anniversary celebration will be at 11:00 AM at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club on Tuesday, April 19th prior to the regular noon meeting.
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Rotary Foundation Minute
Today, 2 billion people across the world lack access to clean and drinkable water and 3.6 billion people lack safely managed sanitation services. March was Rotary’s Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) month. In the past, according to the WASH website, TRF has funded several projects related to WASH; among which are the following:
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Brodey Hanson Named to Class of Forty Under 40The Business Record announced its 23rd annual list of "Forty Under 40" honorees. Those selected were chosen by past award winners, are under 40 years of age and have demonstrated impressive career achievements and unparalleled community involvement. Among the honorees is Ankeny Rotarian, Brody Hanson. Brodey is the Executive Director of The Bridges in Ankeny. Each of the honorees was profiled in the March 25th edition of the Business Record and will be recognized at an event on March 30th at Prairie Meadows. Here is a copy of Brodey's profile.
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Prospective New Members
The Board has approved two applications for membership to the Rotary Club of Ankeny. Current Ankeny Rotarian Kevin Brooks would like to change to a corporate membership in the name of his employer Availa Bank and bring in Andy Schurr, Retail Banking Officer as a Secondary Designee. Andy was a charter member of the Packerland Sunrise Rotary Club in Green Bay, Wisconsin and has visited the noon meeting. Xena Jolly is a Account Representative for Copyworks, Ames, serving the Ankeny area and has applied to join the Evening Group. She has printed the brochure for the clubs fundraiser and other materials for the past several years. She is proposed for membership by Nate Burnham Comments regarding these proposed members may be submitted to any Board member.
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Kent Patterson To be 2024-2025 President
President Todd Eipperle selected Kent Patterson to be the Rotarian of the Month for March in recognition of his accepting a nomination to become the President for the noon group for the 2024-2025 Rotary year. He will follow Todd Eipperle - 2021-2022, Brian Tiernan - 2022-2023 and Steve SchraderBachar 2023-2024 as President of the noon group. As the club's President Elect Nominee, Kent will assume the responsibility for arranging speakers beginning in July 2022. Congratulations Kent!
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March Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in March: 7th - Andrew Larson 8th - Craig Block 9th - Trent Murphy 12th - Zane Smith 18th - Stacey Koeppen 25th - John Biga 27th - Chase Netusil 27th - Raj Reddy |
Sewing Machines for Afghan Refugees
WHO/WHAT: The Rotary Club of Ankeny has helped over a dozen Afghan families get settled in Central Iowa. Many more families are coming, and we’ve identified an area District 6000 can help more Afghan families!!! One of their pressing needs is a SEWING MACHINE. We’ve already gathered several machines and we’ve learned what works….and what doesn’t. So, if you would like to help, please consider donating or gathering sewing machines that will work best for this purpose. WHERE/WHEN & HOW TO DROP OFF MACHINES: Option 1 - The Des Moines Refugee Support Group: We have partnered with one of our local refugee services, The Des Moines Refugee Support group, for storage and distribution of the machines. They are connected with incoming families and are able to offer a centralized location for refugee services in a local church basement in the Des Moines metro. DMRS WOULD LOVE TO TAKE IMMEDIATE DONATIONS OF SEWING MACHINES!!! Please visit their Facebook page to see upcoming drop off times: https://www.facebook.com/DSMRefugeeSupport/ or you can email them at desmoinesrefugee@gmail.com to ask when their next drop off time will be. Their address is 5001 Hickman, Redeemer Presbyterian Church. The Des Moines Refugee support group is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), so Rotarians can get a tax donation receipt (if requested) by dropping off the machine directly in person at DMRS. Option 2 - Jacquelyn Duke's Front Porch: If you are unable to drop the machines at DMRS during a scheduled drop off time, you can leave the machines at any time on the front porch of Jacquelyn Duke's home at 809 NW Parkside Drive, Ankeny, IA 50023. She will get the machines to the appropriate location. Option 3 - District Annual Conference in Coralville: Steve Dakin has graciously offered the use of his trailer to load sewing machines donated at the April 22-23 District Annual Conference in Coralville. If you’ll be bringing more than 5 machines, please email Steve a week or so before conference at steve@retiredfun.net. That way we can be sure we’ll have enough space in the trailer for (hopefully!) all of the donations! Contact Jacquelyn Duke, jacquelyn@sellingcentraliowa.com with questions. Let’s make a DIFFERENCE for these new neighbors of ours!!!! |
"50 Year Anniversary" Moment
The Rotary Club of Ankeny is now 10 months from completing 50 years of service to the Ankeny Community and celebrating with a gala on Saturday, January 21, 2023. Here is how the Club got started: In 1968, Milt Aunan, a Rotarian from Bettendorf, Iowa, was transferred to Ankeny. Milt was contacted by a former District Governor about getting a Rotary Chapter started in Ankeny. In order to do this, Milt had to get the approval from all the Rotary Clubs in the Greater Des Moines area. This took a little time but through Milt's persistence and help from the Northwest Rotary Club, the approval was achieved in 1972. The rules then stated that in order for a chapter to be granted a charter, they must have 26 members. This goal was reached quite easily, the club was chartered, and the first meeting was held at the Best Western Inn on East First Street in Ankeny on January 19, 1973. The Northwest Rotary Club was very supportive in starting the Ankeny Club and they hosted a grand dinner for Ankeny's charter night, picking up the tab for the Ankeny members and spouses. A very special bond developed between the Ankeny Club and the Northwest Club because of all the support that was given along with many man-hours helping fine tune the Ankeny Club. |
Evening Group Volunteers at Food Bank of Iowa
The Rotary Club of Ankeny's evening Group met on Wednesday, February 16th at the Food Bank of Iowa for a service project. Ten Rotarians packaged seasoned rice into two-pound bags. Over 1,500 pounds of rice was packaged into 756 bags which filled 63 boxes.
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Rotary Happy HoursThe February "Happy Hour" for the Noon and Evening Ankeny Rotary groups was held at the Uptown Garage with 34 Rotarians and guests in attendance. The group had fun eating, drinking, socializing, and playing Bingo. Thank you to Bryant Heating and Cooling who sponsored the Bingo with some great prizes being awarded. The March Happy Hour will be on March 8th from 5:30 to 7:00 at the Trailside Tap, 710 SW 3rd St., Ankeny.       |
All Iowa District Conference
District 6000 and 5970 to the north, are joining together for an "ALL IOWA" District Conference which hasn't happened in 75 years! The Conference will be held on Friday, April 22 and Saturday April 23, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel & Conference, Coralville, Iowa. Registration is now available, and the early bird discount is good through March 22! For Ankeny Rotarians that would like to attend, all or a part of the conference, your Board has approved paying the registration fee for all members and spouses that attend. To register, go to the District 6000 website at ALL IOWA DISTRICT CONFERENCE | Rotary District 6000 (rotary6000.org and register online using a credit card or you can print and complete the registration form and mail it with a check or credit card information. Then forward a copy of your registration form to Nate Burnham and reimbursement will be in the form of a credit on your April Rotary invoice. A block of rooms has been reserved for Rotarians staying overnight. The Rotary rate of $119 plus tax and is available until March 31st. Reservations can be made from the above web site.
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Thank You From Meals From The Heartland
The Evening Group plus guests volunteered at Meals From the Heartland on December 9, 2021. On December 9, 2021, twenty-one members and guests packaged meals for "Meals From the Heartland", and Jeff Magner presented a check from the Club in the amount of $500 to help pay for the cost of materials and shipping. The following "Thank You" has been received: THANK YOU! You recently joined others to Raise Your Hand to help us end hunger. Your donation of $500, along with the help of countless volunteers will allow us to continue to package meals for hungry children here in Iowa, throughout the United States and around the world. ......... To better understand how your gift blesses so many, here are some numbers. 2020 Impact Summary: 15,112,656 meals distributed internationally, 2,280,960 meals distributed in US, 1,674,864 meals distributed in Iowa, 60,912 meals pending distribution, 19,007,568 total meals. Thank you Rotary Club of Ankeny! Your generous gift helped us finish the year strong! Greg DeHaai, Executive Director
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Dorothy's House Thanks Rotary Club of Ankeny
Nate Burnham received a thank you note from Kellie Markey of Dorothy's House which stated: Thanks to you and all Rotary members for your love and support of our mission to serve survivors of human trafficking - and for the Iowa Wolves tickets. A good time was held for all!! Your kindness, generosity, and support mean the world to us.
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Wear Your Rotary Pin
A poem titled "Wear Your Rotary Pin" by David Tanare, Rotary Club of East Gosford, Australia. It's a way to show you care Take Pride of place on your shirt lapel Ensure that it is always there. People will notice it and talk to you They'll ask you, "What does it mean?" An opportunity for you to talk And explain the Rotary dream. It's a daily reminder of Rotary's values And the work which Rotary does. Of how Rotary has changed our precious world And the Four Way Test is great to discuss. It's a conversation starter, an ice breaker A way to make new friends. It will keep you focused on your public image Whilst Rotary in your life extends. An opportunity to bring new members to join A creative way to catch their eye. You can wear it on casual, comfy clothes, or your work attire, whatever you desire. Be recognized throughout this great big world Other Rotarians will notice you too. By wearing your Rotary pin each day, You'll be impressed with what it will do.
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Evening Group Hosts Progressive DinnerThe Evening Group of the Rotary Club of Ankeny offered a progressive dinner for six, later increased to eight, as an auction item at the club's 2021 "Raise the Stakes for Community" fundraiser. It was purchased by Rotarian Doug Beech and his guests. A huge "Thank You" to everyone who helped with the progressive dinner on February 12, 2022. A special thank you to the hosts, Marie Kline, Victoria Ogier, and Jacquelyn Duke. Also, a special thank you to Jeff Magner, the chauffeur. It was truly an awesome event and the guests really enjoyed it.         |
Registration Now Open For RYLA
Registration for the 2022 "Rotary Youth Leadership Awards" conference is now open!! RYLA is a six-day conference for current high school sophomores and juniors and will be held at Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, from July 17-22. The Rotary Club of Ankeny will provide a $450 scholarship to cover the cost of the conference for students wishing to attend. Applications may be submitted on-line at www.iowaryla.org. The deadline for applying is April 30, 2022. Contact Ben Digmann at ben@caliberiowa.com with questions.
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Marie Kline Named Rotarian of Month
During the all Club retreat on February 5th, President Todd Eipperle announced that Marie Kline was being named the Rotarian of the month for March. This is primarily in recognition of her hosting the Club's retreat at her office. Thank you and congratulations Marie!!
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March Rotary Board Meeting
Since some Board members will be out of town on the second Thursday of March, the date for the March Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny has been moved to March 3rd. The meeting will be: When: Thursday, March 3rd Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome and it counts as a make-up! |
Board Approves Donations
During the February meeting of the Board, the following donations were approved: NW Elementary School Books - $300 – The Evening group donated books to NW Elementary in the name of each speaker. This donation will pay for the books. District Governor Gavel Passing - $600 – Ankeny Rotarian, Steve Wieneke will become District Governor July 1, 2022. The donation will pay for the rental of the Senior Center in Ankeny for the passing of the District 6000 gavel to Steve from the current District Governor. Bourbon & Bowties - $350 – The Mid-Iowa Council, BSA will be hosting a fundraiser to be held at the AG&CC on June 8th. This donation is to help cover some of the expenses. Dorothy’s House - $1,000 – This donation will provide continuing educational materials for survivors of human trafficking. ALI Sand Volleyball Tournament Sponsorship - $250 – The Ankeny Leadership Institute will be hosting a sand volleyball tournament to be held on May 13, 2022. This is the entry fee for a Rotary team to participate in the tournament. ALI Graduation Ceremony - $400 - The club agreed to sponsor the graduation ceremony for the 2001-2022 Ankeny Leadership Institute class.
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Welcome New Member Breanna Diaz
Breanna Diaz was proposed for membership in the Club by James Warner, the Primary Designee for corporate member B & B Theatres. Bre is the Marketing Events Manager at B & B and will be an additional Secondary Designee. She is originally from Denison, Iowa, and graduated from ISU in Marketing. She was previously working in the Admissions office at ISU. She was inducted on February 8th. Welcome Bre!!
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Club Retreat Well Attended
The all-club retreat was held on February 5th at the offices of Keller-Williams with 30 Rotarians in attendance. They broke in to four groups to discuss, Membership, Community Service, Youth and Succession Planning and then reported back to the entire group. Thank you to Marie Kline for hosting this event.
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Baby Boy for Nicole Matter
Nicole Matter, a member of the Rotary Club of Ankeny's Evening group, gave birth to a Beau Matthew Matter on February 4th at 12:58 am. Beau weighed in at 7 lbs. 11 oz and is 21 inches long. Beau, with his parents Nicole and Zach, attended the Evening Group meeting on February 22nd and was honored by the club with a gift of a baby book and a blue onesie that said "Future Rotarian" on it. Congratulations Nicole and Zach!!
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AG&CC Staff Presented With GiftsPresident Eipperle presented the AG&CC staff, Brian and Cindy, with a Christmas gift to thank them for waiting on us during the past year. The gift was a decorative center piece with some interesting flowers.    |
Prospective New Member - Breanna Diaz
The Board has approved an application submitted by James Warner, the Primary Designee for corporate member B & B Theatres, to add Breanna Diaz as an additional Secondary Designee. She is replacing Reece Lewellen as Marketing Events/Manager at B & B. Reece has taken another job in Minnesota. Bre is originally from Denison, Iowa and graduated from ISU in Marketing. She was previously working in the Admissions office at ISU. She plans to attend the noon meetings. Comments regarding Breanna's proposed membership may be submitted to any Board member.
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February "Happy Hour" at Uptown Garage & Brewing
The February "Happy Hour" for the Noon and Evening Rotarians and their guests will be held on Tuesday, February 8th at the Uptown Garage Brewing Company, 305 SW Walnut St. The social will begin at 5:30 with bingo available beginning at 6:00 PM.
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Next Fundraiser - April 15, 2023The date for the next Casino Night Fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Ankeny has been set for April 15, 2023 - Mark your calendars! Although April 2023 may seem a bit far off, we want to take the opportunity to plan and create a great succession plan for future years.
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Laura Luetje Nominated for Guardian of Integrity Award
Each year since 2010, District 6000 has recognized Rotarians who exemplify the attributes and passion for ethics and integrity in their vocation, business and personal lives. This award the "Paul E. Hellwege Guardian of Integrity Award" is named after Boone Rotarian and Past District Governor (1954-55) Judge Paul E. Hellwege who passed away in 2010. Each club in District 6000 can nominate one member each year to receive this award. Those who are nominated will be recognized at the annual District Conference which will be held April 22-23 in Coralville this year. Laura Luetje has been selected as the nominee from the Rotary Club of Ankeny for 2022. Congratulations Laura!!
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Rotary Theme for 2022-2023 Announced
Jennifer Jones will make history on July 1, 2022, when she becomes Rotary International’s first female president. On January 20th, she gave a live online address for district governor elects from around the world to precede Rotary’s International Assembly which will be virtual on February 7-14. Each year the Rotary International President selects a theme for their year. Jennifer, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, took the opportunity to announce her Rotary theme. She has chosen "Imagine Rotary" as her theme and is urging Rotarians to dream big and harness their connections and the power of Rotary to turn those dreams into reality. She wants members to imagine the possibilities of the change they can make to transform the world. “Imagine, a world that deserves our best,” Jones told the incoming district governors, “where we get up each day knowing that we can make a difference. |
Thank You From Project Fresh Start
This fall, the Rotary Club of Ankeny purchased 132 winter coats and donated them to Project Fresh Start's Warm Coat project. The following thank you has been received: "Dear Ankeny Rotary, Thank you so much for your generous donation to the 2021 Faith and Education Winter Donations give away. This year we were able to supply 411 Ankeny residents with coats, hats, gloves and snow pants. In addition, we gave away 50 coats to local charitable groups. These groups work with Polk County residents to help them stay warm during the winter months. Again, on behalf of Project Fresh Start, as well as the hundreds of people we serve, THANK YOU! Sincerely, Dave Kissinger & Anne Williams, F.E.W.D. Co-Chairs"
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February Rotary Board Meeting
The February Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, February 10th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome and it counts as a make-up! |
Welcome New Members
Six new members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny during January, 2022. Four joined the Evening group and two joined the Noon group. The total club membership is now 112, a net increase of nine since the beginning of the Rotary year, July 1, 2021. Those joining the Evening Group were: Holly Sealine - Holly is the Public Services Manager at the Kirkendall Library in Ankeny. She was proposed for membership by Steve Wieneke and will attend the evening meetings. Ann Wright & Doug Wright - Ann is the owner of Wright Coaching & Training Solutions and Doug is a crop insurance underwriter for Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa in West Des Moines. They were proposed for membership by Cathy McDaniel. They will be attending the Evening group. Mindy Alvarez - Mindy is a Graphic Designer with RDG Planning & Design in Des Moines. Those joining the Noon group were: Melisa Cox - Melisa is the new CEO and President of the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce. She was proposed by Stacey Koeppen. Amanda Fontana - Amanda will be the Primary Designee for Corporate member Amanda Fontana Real Estate, LLC. She was proposed for membership by Laura Luetje. |
Ankeny's New Paul Harris FellowsThanks to their contributions to the Rotary Foundation during last quarter Juan Arias, became a PHF + 6, Rich Job a PHF+3 Steve Wieneke a PHF +3 and Jacquelyn Duke a PHF + 2. Congratulations Juan, Rich, Steve, and Jacquelyn, and thank you for your support of the Rotary Foundation!     |
February Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in February: 2nd - Mike Goedeke 4th - Jim Blessman 6th - Doug Parker 8th - Terry Peter 12th - Kris Baker 17th - Cathy McDaniel 26th - Steve SchraderBachar
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Evening Group Packs for Meals From the HeartlandThe Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening Group met at Meals from the Heartland, in West Des Moines, on Tuesday, January 18, 2022. Twenty-one members and guests were present to help pack meals. Jeff Magner presented a check from the Club in the amount of $500 to Meals from the Heartland to help pay for the cost of materials and shipping. The $500 will pay for provide approximately 3,000 meals or feed eight kids for a year. After the event, several went over to “The Hall” for some food and beverages. Thank you, Jeff for coordinating this service project.     |
Club's 50th Anniversary Celebration - January 21, 2023
The Rotary Club of Ankeny was chartered on January 19, 1973. The committee for a gala to celebrate the club's 50th anniversary is beginning to plan for this event and has set the date. It will be Saturday, January 21, 2023. More details will be shared as they become available. For now, put the date on your calendar and plan to attend to help celebrate the club's accomplishments over the past 50 years. Also, we are looking for pictures from the early years of the club. Please contact Sally Schroeder or Nate Burnham if you have any that you could share. The next committee meeting will be February 15th at the AG&CC, prior to the regular noon meeting.
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Prospective New Members
The Board has approved the following applications for membership to the Rotary Club of Ankeny: Melisa Cox - Melisa is the new CEO of the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce. She was previously with the Greater Des Moines Home Builders Association and is being proposed for membership by Stacey Koeppen. Mindy Alvarez - Mindy is a Graphic Designer with RDG Planning & Design in Des Moines. She is applying to join the Evening group and is being proposed for membership by Steve Wieneke. Comments regarding these proposed members may be submitted to any Board member. |
50 Year Celebration Committee Meeting
The Rotary Club of Ankeny held its first meeting at the Best Western Inn on East First Street and SE Delaware in Ankeny on January 19, 1973. The club is planning on a 50-Year Celebration to be held in early 2023. Sally Schroeder has agreed to chair the planning committee and has scheduled the first meeting for Tuesday, January 11th, at the Ankeny Golf & Country Club at 11:00 AM prior to our regularly schedule noon meeting. Several members have already volunteered to serve on the committee but let Sally know if you would also like to help and plan to attend the meeting.
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Suggested New Year's Resolutions
Hopefully everyone was able to celebrate the New Year by putting 2021 behind us as we look forward to 2022. Here are a couple suggested New Year's resolutions for Ankeny Rotarians: Improve Attendance at Meetings - One of the special obligations of membership in Rotary is regular attendance at the weekly meetings; it is the basic method of fulfilling the principle of fellowship as well as a way of representing your vocation. If a member does not attend meetings regularly, they are missing out on the many benefits of being a Rotarian. The average attendance for the first half of the 2021-2022 Rotary year was 44.6%. This is the lower it has ever been including last year when many of the meetings were virtual. Resolve to improve your attendance at Rotary meetings in 2022. Promptly Pay Quarterly Invoices By the Due Date - As of the end of December, we had 30 members with balances due on their invoices. Quarterly invoices are emailed in early January, April, July, and October, and payments are due by the first of the following month. You can view your invoices and see if you have any balances due by going to our web site ankenyrotary.org, and logging in. Then go to "My Account Balance" under "My ClubRunner". Past due payments not only deprives the club of the funds, but it creates additional work for the treasurer and secretary to follow-up on past due invoices. Resolve to complete the payment of your Rotary invoices promptly upon receipt of the invoice.
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Disaster Relief
Here is a message from Troy Thompson, District 6000 Disaster Relief Humanitarian Services (Action Team Chair): We have an unfortunate abundance of disasters that we can respond to as Rotarians. You are no doubt aware of the recent multi-state tornado and the damage that resulted. As if that weren’t enough, we have had a lot of damage in the state of Iowa on December 15th due to thunderstorms, tornados and strong winds. Regarding the Iowa storm, we would like to know if you are aware of people or places affected by the storm that need help. While we have the realization that we can’t help everyone, we must be aware of need in order to assist. We would like to deploy as many Rotary resources as possible to assist financially, or with boots on the ground. If you or your club would like to donate financially, please make the checks to District 6000 H.E.F. and indicate if you would like the funds to stay in Iowa or go to the region dealing with the multi-state tornados and forward it to: Phil Peterson PO Box 5774 Coralville, IA 52241 The need is great and the challenges are many. We are Rotary! |
Allison Ver Steegt Has New Baby GirlAllison and Evan Ver Steegt welcomed their new baby girl, Luna Lea into their family, on Monday, December 27, 2021. She weighed in at 5 lbs. 12 oz. and 19.5 inches long. Congratulations Allison and Evan!
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Welcome Cathy Maher
Cathy Maher was inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankney on December 7th. Cathy is a Senior Underwriter with Nationwide Insurance in Des Moines. She was proposed for membership by her husband Shannon who is currently a member of the Rotary Club of Ankeny. Both Cathy and Shannon will be attending the evening meetings. Welcome Cathy!!
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January Rotary Board Meeting
The January Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, January 13th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome and it counts as a make-up! |
Club Retreat on February 5, 2022
The Rotary Club of Ankeny will be holding a retreat on Saturday, February 5, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM at the Keller-Williams office, 1610 SW Main St, above Sicissiors & Scotch in the District. Thank you to Marie Kline for providing the meeting room for us. Snacks and drinks will be available. The purpose of the retreat is to review the mission of Rotary and the Rotary Club of Ankeny, set goals for the next few years and complete some strategic planning. All noon and evening members are encouraged to attend.
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Jan Franck Becomes PHF +4Greg Franck made a donation to the Rotary Foundation in Jan Franck's name that moved her to a Paul Harris Fellow +3 and also a Paul Harris Fellow +4. During the Club's Christmas social on December 14th, President Todd Eipperle presented her with two pins, one with three sapphire stones and one with four sapphire stones to recognize her for this donation. Congratulations Jan and thank you Greg and Jan for supporting the Rotary Foundation.  |
Prospective New Members
The Board has approved applications for membership to the Evening Group from Ann Wright and Doug Wright – Husband and wife. Ann is the owner of Wright Coaching & Training Solutions. She is also active on several Boards and is currently serving on the Ankeny Area Chamber Board. Doug is a Crop Insurance Underwriter with Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance in West Des Moines. Both Ann and Doug are being proposed for membership by Cathy McDaniel. Holly Sealine's application for membership to the Evening Group has also been approved by the Board. Holly is the Manager at Ankeny Kirkendall Library. She has attended and spoken to the evening group and is being proposed for membership by Steve Wieneke. Comments regarding these proposed members may be submitted to any Board member. |
Rotary Christmas Social Well AttendedApproximately 75 Ankeny Rotarians and guests gathered at Briarwood Golf Club on the evening of December 14th to celebrate Christmas. A great meal was served and members of the Ankeny Community Chorus sang Christmas carols after dinner. There was even an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus and the Grinch!!      |
January Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in Janaury: 5th - Sarah Green 6th - Jack Pennington 15th - Jenna Lanning 20th - Sally Schroeder 21st - Nicole Matter 27th - Jeff Damman 28th - Roger Spahr 31st - Jim Gocke |
Welcome New MembersFour new members were admitted to the Rotary Club of Ankeny during meetings in November. Heather Schmidt and Cara Kelly were introduced at the noon meeting. They will be Secondary Designees for new Corporate member Amanda Fontana Real Estate LLC. They are part of the Amanda Fontana Real Estate Team with REMAX in Ankeny. Amanda Fontana and Katie Johnson are also members of this team and will be inducted into Rotary at a later date. They were proposed for membership by Laura Luetje. Neil Fell was a member of the Garner Rotary Club and has transferred his membership to Ankeny. He is a past Assistant District Governor and a Past District Governor. He is a retired banker and was proposed for membership by Tom Friedman. Chase Netusil was proposed for membership in the Evening Group by Marie Keding. He is a Financial Advisor in Ankeny with Raymond James in Ankeny.    Welcome Cara, Heather, Neil, and Chase!! |
Rotary Rings the Bell for Salvation ArmyOn Saturday, December 5th, about 16 Rotarians and family members rang the bell at the North Ankeny Hy-Vee to collect donations for the Salvation Army. The following message has been recieved from Amy DeCastro the Assistant to the Area Coordinator for the Salvation Army: "First, thank you to you and your Rotary Club for ringing for us! You all had an amazing day and raised $1088.93! That has been our highest kettle so far this year. Th ank you so much for everyone who volunteered their time! Our club had committed to match all donations up to $1,000. The check has been sent, making the total raised $2,088.93. Thank you to all that did such a great job ringing the bell!     |
Checks Presented to Paddle RaisersThe Club had three "Paddle Raisers" at their 2021 Raise the Stakes for Community fundraiser in October. A total of $19,520 was raised for these three organizations. The recipients were the Family Cancer Network - $9,300, Ankeny Service Center - $4,840, and Timothy Yates Haggen Foundation - $5,380. Checks were presented to each of these organization during meetings on November 23rd and November 30th.    |
Annual Christmas Social To be Held on December 14th
The annual Rotary Christmas social, for both the noon and evening groups, will be held on Tuesday, December 14th at Briarwood Golf Club, 3405 NE Trilein Drive. There will be a social hour beginning at 5:30 with dinner to be served at 6:30. Each member may bring one guest. The cost per person attending is $20 that will be charged to the member on the club's January invoices. If you plan to attend but have not as yet registered, please contact Nate Burnham. The deadline for us to give a meal count to the Club is December 7th.
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Last Call to Register for RI Convention at Reduced Rate
The deadline to register for the 2022 Rotary International Convention in Houston, Texas June 4-8 is December 15, 2021. It is the club's policy to pay the registration fee for any member and their spouse that wishes to attend a RI convention. The fee is $475 until December 15th and then increases to $575 through March 31st. After March 31st, the registration fee is $675. If you are planning to attend, please register by December 15th. Contact Nate Burnham if you have any questions.
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Juan Arias Named Paul Harris + 6
On November 30th, evening President, Jacquelyn Duke, presented Juan Angel Arias with a pin containing one ruby stone to signify that he has achieved the level of Paul Harris Fellow +6 for his contributions to the Rotary Foundation. Congratulations Juan and Thank you for your support!!
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Horns Down For Texas
Approximately 20 Ankeny Rotarians and guests attend the tailgate prior to the ISU vs. Texas football game on November 6th. It was a great day for a football game and to get together with other fans to tailgate. Todd Eipperle brought his Iowa State Chili and now famous Apple Pie Whiskey Punch. ISU cheerleaders came by and the ISU band even stopped by to play happy birthday for Nate Burnham. The perfect ending to the day was an Iowa State victory in perhaps Texas's last appearance at Jack Trice Stadium, 30-7.    |
Evening Group Completes Service ProjectsThe Rotary Club of Ankeny's Evening Group completed two service projects in November. On November 2nd, they packed 21 boxes for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. Members had signed up to bring items to fill the boxes which will be distributed to children in need. They also made Christmas cards to put in each box.   Then on November 16th they met at Freedom for Youth Ministries, in Des Moines. Six members were present and helped serve pizzas, drinks and deserts to approximately thirty young people and supervisors.  |
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December Rotary Board Meeting
The December Board meeting for the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be held at Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. When: Thursday, December 9th Time: 12:00 PM Where: Wig & Pen, 2005 South Ankeny Blvd. All members are welcome and it counts as a make-up! |
December Rotarian Birthdays
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in December: 1st - Patty Munguia 2nd - Chuck Stewart 3rd - Scott Port 12th - Rich Job 14th - Tim Cox 15th - Dylan Dyer 16th - Doug Ripley 19th - Richard Bergez 21st - Doug Beech |
Prospective New Members
The following applications for membership to the Rotary Club of Ankeny have been received: Neil Fell is currently a member of the Garner Rotary Club and has requested to transfer his membership since he has moved to Ankeny. He is a past Assistant District Governor and a Past District Governor. He is a retired banker and is being proposed for membership by Tom. He is requesting to be admitted as a Senior Active member. Chase Netusil has submitted an application for membership to the Evening Rotary Group. Chase was proposed for membership by Marie Kading (Bryant Heating & Cooling). He is a Financial Advisor with Raymond James in Ankeny. Amanda Fontana Real Estate LLC - Amanda Fontana will be the Primary Designee and Heather Schmidt, Cara Kelly, and Katie Johnson will be the Secondary Designees for this new corporate member. They are all part of the Amanda Fontana Real Estate Team with RE/MAX. They are proposed for membership by Laura Luetje. Catherine Maher is a Senior Underwriter with Nationwide Insurance in Des Moines. She is the wife of Shannon Maher, currently a member of the noon Ankeny Rotary group. He is proposing her for membership. Since Cathy is unable to attend the noon meetings she plans to join the Evening Group and Shannon will be transferring his membership to the Evening Group effective January 1, 2022.
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Rotary Tailgate at ISU November 6th
The Rotary Club of Ankeny hosted a tailgate prior to the ISU vs. Oklahoma State football game on October 23rd. Todd Eipperle grilled pork burgers and brats and snacks and drinks were shared by all. The Club will be hosting another tailgate at the Iowa State vs. Texas football game at Jack Trice Stadium on November 6th. The tailgate will be again be located in parking lot A4, hopefully on the grass on the south side of the lot. Look for the blue Rotary tent which should be set up by noon. Todd Eipperle will be bringing a large pot of Iowa State Chili and his famous Apple Pie whiskey punch. Other snacks and beverages will be provided but you are welcome to bring your favorite drink or snack to share. All Rotarians and guests are welcome to attend Kickoff is 6:30 PM. Go Cyclones!!
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Rotarians to Ring Bell For Salvation Army
Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Ankeny will be ringing the bell for the Salvation Army at the North Ankeny Hy-Vee on December 4, 2021 from 10:00 Am to 8:00 PM. A sign up sheet to work hourly shifts will be available at meetings in early November. Contact Anne Porter, Anne@aplushomecareservices.com, with any questions or to sign up.
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Blessman Sanitation Global Grant Opportunity
Last year, the Rotary Club of Ankeny participated in a Rotary Global grant totaling over $200,000 to construct Enviro Loo toilets in South Africa through Blessman International. Our club donated towards this project and also acted as the US host which included receiving $100,000 from Allen Anderson and forwarding it on to Rotary International for this grant. Blessman International is now working on another Rotary grant to construct and install an additional 45 Enviro Loo waterless toilet systems at a cost of $5,500 each. Each toilet will serve 20 children. Their goal is to raise $250,000. Mr. Anderson has already committed another $50,000 towards this project and another individual in Iowa has committed $45,000. Several other rotary clubs in the US and in SA will also be participating. At their October Board meeting, our club committed to donate $2,000 towards this project The Board also agreed to match additional contributions from members up to an additional $1,000. As of November 1st, members have committed to donate $2,150 towards this project. With the club's match, the total to be contributed from the Rotary Club of Ankeny and its members will be at least $5,150. All of these contributions will then receive an additional match from Rotary International. If you would like to contribute towards this project, send Nate Burnham an email, at nfburnham@gmail.com, to let him know how much you would like to contribute. Your contribution will be submitted to Rotary International in your name upon final approval of the grant and the amount of your contribution will be included in your next quarterly invoice. You will receive Paul Harris recognition for your contribution. Here is a link to a video if you would like to learn more about this project and others being led by Blessman International in South Africa: |
Registration Now Open For Xmas Social
The annual Rotary Christmas social will be held on Tuesday, December 14th at Briarwood Golf Club, 3405 NE Trilien Drive. There will be a social hour beginning at 5:30 with dinner to be served at 6:30. Each member may bring one guest. The cost per person attending is $20 that will be charged to the member on the club's January invoices.
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Shannon Maher Wins the Pot
Shannon Maher had his 50/50 ticket drawn at the meeting on October 12th and then proceeded to cut the Jocker from the deck of cards. This made him the winner of the pot which was valued at $250. Shannon asked that his winnings be donated to the Rotary Foundation. Congratulations Shannon!!
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DG Alka Khanolkar Makes Official Visits to Ankeny
District Governor Alka Khanolkar and her husband Karin made their official visit to both the Noon and Evening groups in October. She visited the Noon group on October 19th and then visited the Evening group on October 26th. Alka is very passionate about Empowering Girls and Human Trafficking Awareness and would like to add 2-5 new clubs in District 6000 during her term. Her other goals for the 2021-2022 year are: 1. Impact - each member bring one new member and retain all members 2. Expand our Reach - Do more, grow more 3. Engage - Services and Leadership 4. Adaptability and Flexibility - Adjust to the new normal  |
Yellow Roses in Honor of ReneeIn honor of Renee Murphy, Evening Group President, Jacquelyn Duke, gave a yellow rose to each person in attendance at the evening meeting on October 26th. Trent Murphy had given a yellow rose to Renee on their first date and on every anniversary since. As requested in Renee's obituary, Jacquelyn asked everyone to give the rose to someone they love.  |
Koeppen & Luetje Named Rotarians of the Month
In recognition of all the hard work and dedication to making the 2021 "Raise the Stakes Fundraiser" a great success, President Todd Eipperle, named Stacey Koeppen and Laura Luetje co-Rotarians of the month for October.
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