The 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!!
Three 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.
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.
The 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.
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
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 neededto help make this year’s parade a HUGE success. We will plan tomeet 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.
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.
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!
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.
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:
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".
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
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